


Robbie Forgotten

by AnnGry



Series: You Wanted Me to Remind You to Remember to Remind Yourself to Remember Something [1]
Category: LazyTown
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Memory, Remember, forget, implying, lazytown - Freeform, memory sucker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-06
Updated: 2016-12-27
Packaged: 2018-08-29 11:04:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 32,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8486896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnGry/pseuds/AnnGry
Summary: When Robbie Rotten's invention, the Memory Sucker 3000, works against him, he is left with no memory of who he is. The kids of LazyTown decide to reform the villain and change his ways from nasty to nice. Sportacus may be the only one who can help to jog Robbie's memories of his true self— but is he better off forgetting?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: The TV series "LazyTown" was created Magnús Scheving and is owned by Turner Broadcasting System. This work of fanfiction is solely for entertainment purposes. I do not own the characters depicted in this story, nor do I gain any profit from using them.
> 
> Want to follow along with an audio recording of the story? Check out this playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzu4ud-rpH7r8cbYY8FIiUeb-28BNUJNa

_You wanted me to remind you to remember to remind yourself to remember something_.

* * *

 Smoke poured out of the windows of Pixel's house while a robotic voice wailed over and over again its ear splitting "WARNING— WARNING— WARNING—"

Hiding behind the stone wall across the street Pixel and Stephanie coughed and panted for breath and waited for the disaster to end. They didn't even notice as a bug-eyed periscope shot up out of the ground and observed the goings on with them.

"What's all that noise?" Robbie Rotten wondered as he watched through that very same periscope. The metal speakers hanging from his ceiling broadcast every siren call coming out of Pixel's house and made his own lair echo and ring like a bell. Darting inside Gizmo Guy's house went a white and blue blur to save the day— Sportacus, of course.

For a time the alarms kept blaring louder and higher pitched until suddenly they waned out into silence. Sportacus came jogging back out of the house with a box tucked under one arm and a grim look on his face.

"Guys, I tried to unplug the computer but I think I was too late," the hero said.

"It's gone?" Pixel whimpered.

"But I saved this," Sportacus said, holding out the box. The boy's eyes briefly lit up at the sight of his motherboard.

"Yeah!" But as Stephanie accepted the warped and burnt hunk of plastic and metal from Sportacus, Pixel deflated. "Oh no, it's melted! All the pictures and stuff on my computer, all the memory, gone...!"

Losing interest now that everyone was out of danger Robbie turned away from his periscope with a disgusted snort.

"Oh, if only that do-gooder, Sportacus, could have a memory meltdown, like POODLE'S computer. He'd never be able to save anyone again, FOREVER..." A devious smile stretched his lips. "So... why _can't_ he?"

* * *

 Up in the town square Robbie worked as quickly as he could while hefting the heavy wooden sports hurdles around. He was so pleased with himself that he did a little twirl as he set them down in a line one after the other.

"Sportacus won't be able to resist my trap!" He chuckled as he worked, staggering the equipment strategically so that it rounded the stone wall to where the real payoff awaited.

Standing free of any support was what looked like a big orange door frame without any door. There were many strange dials, prongs, and knobs sticking off of it all around. Robbie admired his handiwork and couldn't help boasting.

"BEHOLD! The Memory Sucker 3000!" He waved his arms at his invention in a grandiose fashion, then pantomimed a running man. "When he runs through the door—" The frame flashed a bright light as the villain's hands trespassed the threshold and he recoiled with another chuckle. "It's BYE-BYE, memory! And he won't know his SWISH from his SWOOSH!"

Wasting no more time Robbie scurried behind the wall and peered round to look for the object of his derision. Just in time! There was Sportacus now, running and flipping and twisting in midair as he dashed across town, surely on some other annoying noble errand or other.

But as soon as Sportacus spied the hurdles, just as Robbie predicted, the man stopped mid-run and looked curiously at the setup.

"What...?" Sportacus wondered. A grin spread across his face, tickled by the challenge. He let out a small laugh, pumped his arms, and ran towards the first hurdle.

Robbie watched through a hole in the wall as Sportacus vaulted over the hurdles one by one, leading him towards the diabolical device at the end. With a final laugh the jumping blue kangaroo leapt straight into the machine...!

...and he passed through it to land on his feet on the other side. While Robbie's jaw dropped Sportacus patted himself off and nodded with satisfaction.

"Well that was fun," the hero concluded. The diversion over with he went into a somersault and continued on his way.

Robbie shot up from behind the wall and stared after the hero with a perplexed sneer. He stalked around the corner and looked the machine over. Why hadn't it activated when Sportacus jumped through? It should have sucked out all his memories!

"What's the matter with this thing?" Robbie growled. He twisted the valves up here and down there but there was no obvious problem. His sneer deepening into an all out scowl Robbie cursed the faulty equipment, "Stupid piece of junk!" and gave it a sharp kick. All it served to do was make him yelp and grab his sore foot so that he had to hop on one leg until the throbbing pain went away.

He would just have to come up with something else. Robbie determined to go home and come up with a new idea right away. He muttered a few more nasty things under his breath as he glared at the machine, all that wasted time and effort. Sportacus would pay for this, that was for sure. Robbie stepped through the metal frame to head back to his lair that instant—

_Z-Z-ZAP—!_

A shock of light and electricity— everything exploded into a kaleidoscope of colors and seized Robbie's entire body in a burning shock! It held him arrested mid stride, immobile for what felt like a numbing eternity—

Until at last the whole machine rattled and cracked like thunder and lightning and broke apart, crashing down around the villain as it went _kaput_. Robbie lurched free of the broken archway and stopped short with a gasp.

"What— was I doing...?"

* * *

 Not so far away yet Sportacus' crystal flashed and beeped rapidly, making the blue clad man stop in his tracks. Someone was in trouble! With a new focus Sportacus scanned the area for the source of distress. The only person he could see was back over by the stone wall where he had just been. Robbie Rotten stood there looking dazed and confused. As Sportacus jogged back over he could hear Robbie muttering to himself.

"I can't remember... I know I was doing something."

"Hello, Robbie, is everything okay?" Sportacus called as he drew close. The skinny man in the stripy suit startled on the spot and looked at Sportacus.

"Who?" Robbie asked as he glanced around with a furrowed brow.

"Who? Well— you, Robbie. Who else?" Sportacus slowed to a stop a few steps away from the other man.

Something was not right. Robbie squinted at Sportacus with a slight frown on his face, but it wasn't the usual deep scowl or sneer that the villain normally reserved for the town's hero. In fact, there didn't seem to be any recognition there at all.

"Sportacus, what happened?" Stephanie called as she and Pixel came running over. "We heard some kind of explosion!"

Seeing who was with their hero the kids halted and exclaimed together, "Robbie Rotten!"

"Me?" Robbie put a hand to his chest, taken aback by the strong reaction the kids had for him. "You know me?"

"Do _we_ know _you?_ " Stephanie looked suspiciously at the man.

"Very funny, Robbie," Pixel said. "As if you don't know who we are."

"It's not funny," Robbie said with a hint of his old irritation, but it sounded more like panic. "Am I supposed to know you?"

The kids and Sportacus exchanged baffled glances. "You don't remember Stephanie and Pixel?" Sportacus asked. Robbie scratched his head, that worried frown etching ever deeper into his face.

"I don't think... no... It feels like my memory... it's as missing as a sock in a dryer. I can't even remember who _I_ am!"

The kids and Sportacus turned away to confer together. "He doesn't remember anything!" Stephanie whispered in amazement.

"It's like his memory's been sucked from his head, just like my computer!" Pixel concurred. "POOF— and it's gone!"

"That's terrible," Sportacus said. "We've got to help him."

"Help him remember?" Stephanie asked. "You mean help him remember how mean, lazy, and nasty he is?"

"Now, Stephanie, I wouldn't say that," Sportacus chided her.

"But Stephanie's right," Pixel said. He gestured towards the rubble around Robbie's feet where the man stood lost and lonely, waiting for them to finish their impromptu huddle. "It looks to me like Robbie was up to no good again, and his plans got short-circuited. This might be a chance to reprogram him."

"Yeah," Stephanie said, getting excited at the prospect. "He could be someone nice for a change! Come on, Sportacus, don't you think that would be good for him?"

"Well..." Sportacus glanced up from the kids towards Robbie. The man looked so fretful and forlorn the way he was now. But even that was an improvement over his usually disgruntled disposition. "I guess..."

"Great!" Stephanie popped up and out of their inner circle before the sporty hero could change his mind. She turned back towards Robbie with a smile on her face. "You don't have anything to worry about Robbie, because we're your friends!"

"You are?" Robbie's eyes widened as he looked at them all in a new light.

"Yes!" Stephanie nodded. "And as a matter of fact, Sportacus here," she grabbed Sportacus by the arm and pulled him over, "he's your _best_ friend!"

"He _is?_ " Robbie boggled at the mustachioed man and Sportacus stared right back with just as much shock. "That's... great!" Robbie grabbed Sportacus by the hand and shook it with surprising force. The villain surprised Sportacus even more when he put on a tentative smile. It was so unlike Robbie to show such camaraderie that Stephanie and Pixel giggled behind the two men.

"That's—... That's right," Sportacus said, clapping his free hand over Robbie's and returning the handshake with determination. "Don't worry, my friend. Everything will be okay. Just listen to your old pal."


	2. Chapter 2

Sitting high and mighty on the seesaw Stingy flapped his hand at Trixie, trying to shoo her off of the opposite end down on the ground.

"It's mine, Trixie," he said. "Go away."

"It takes two to teeter-totter, Stingy," Trixie tried to explain it to the fancy boy for what must have been the hundredth time and her patience was wearing thin.

"No," Stingy said, placing his hand on his chest, "it's mine, ALL mine."

"Okay," Trixie said and got up from the seesaw, "if you insist." She planted one foot firmly on the vacated seat to keep Stingy elevated up in the air. That got the boy to squirm and tighten his grip on the handle bars and Trixie snickered at his discomfort.

"Wait," Stingy said, "I've changed my mind. You can get back on!"

"Hey guys!" Stephanie called as she ran through the playground towards the other kids.

"Hey, Stephanie," Trixie said, still keeping the teeter-totter off its kilter, "want to play with us?"

"Not just me," Stephanie said, shrugging her pink purse off her shoulder and waving behind her, "look!"

Just arriving to the playground came Pixel and Sportacus. They all waved and greeted each other with their usual enthusiasm. But bringing up the rear there was one more. Approaching a little less confidently on long and lanky legs was—

"Robbie Rotten!" Trixie and Stingy both exclaimed. The purple suited man stopped, keeping a respectable distance between himself and the others. His nose twitched and his mouth twisted on the verge of an uncertain frown.

"Why does everyone have to shout at me?" he asked. "It doesn't sound very nice when you say it like that."

"You're one to talk about nice!" Trixie started to snap back at the man but Stephanie waved her arms around to interrupt her.

"Just a second," Stephanie said, and hotfooted it over to the teeter-totter.

Trixie finally let Stingy get down so that they could have a whispered discussion with the pink girl. The kids peered up several times to look at Robbie before ducking their heads back down to continue the conference. A few giggles came out that were quickly shushed.

They broke out of their circle and turned back to the others. The way that Stingy and Trixie looked at Robbie now made him shift his feet.

"So you really don't remember _me?_ " Stingy asked, and Robbie shook his head. The boy turned up his nose with a snort. "Is that so? Humph!"

"No problem," Trixie drawled. "We'll just remind you about yourself. Are you ready?"

"All right," Robbie said, putting on a brave face. "What do I have to do?"

"It's easy," Trixie said, and cast her hand around them at the playground. "We play!"

"Play?" Robbie looked at all the playground equipment and didn't make a move for anything. He glanced towards Sportacus, seeking a second opinion. "I'm not sure I can."

"Anyone can play," Sportacus encouraged him with a nod, "go on."

"Yeah, Robbie," Trixie said. "You play with us ALL the time. Why, you love to skip rope!"

"I do?" Robbie looked doubtfully towards the jump rope lying in a pile on the ground. He went over and bent down to pick up the toy but his back creaked. He struggled to straighten back up again with a grimace, quickly giving up the notion.

"And you love to play ball!" Stingy said, turning Robbie's attention towards the dodge ball resting against the brick wall.

"You always jump around," Pixel offered, pulling Robbie's gaze back the other way.

"But you love DANCING most of all!" Stephanie jumped up and down, drawing everyone's gaze to her.

"That's a great idea," Sportacus said, starting to bounce on the balls of his feet as well. "Why don't we all dance?"

"I don't know—" Robbie stood rigid like a stick in the mud but all around him the kids chimed their agreement. Stephanie ran across the playground to the bench where her pink stereo sat and switched it on. A hearty bass line and techno treble pounded out of the speakers.

"Come on Robbie, we're dancing!" Stephanie twirled on her feet with a laugh.

"Yeah, we're moving," Pixel bobbed his head and stomped his feet, rocking with the music.

"Jumping along," Stingy sang at the top of his lungs to be heard over the heavy beat and electric melody.

"It's easy," Sportacus said with a wink, "just a little twist and turn, you can do it."

Robbie raised his hands up and waved them. Seeing how that went over he tried shuffling his feet around. He looked at all the excited faces, watched as everyone spun and shook and grooved in any way they pleased. He gave a small shimmy— everyone cheered. The look of consternation that had wrinkled the tall man's face for so long finally lifted as the tempo picked up in his toes, then his legs, and his arms were up again—

"That's neat!" Stingy tried to imitate Robbie as the man kicked up his feet, waved his hands, and trotted off a smart tap dance! It was impossible for the boy to keep up and he admired the fancy footwork. "I want to learn how to do that too!"

But while everyone else was dancing Trixie had sneaked over to where the stereo sat. With a mischievous giggle she pushed a few buttons and changed the music. The heart pounding percussion and blaring synths fell off into the stately pace of an orchestral waltz. Everybody tripped to a halt, their dancing disrupted.

All but for Robbie. In the same breath that his two-step stopped he plucked Sportacus' hands into his own and spun him around into the waltz!

The kids boggled at the display, murmuring and laughing in their confusion. Even Sportacus stared with stupefaction at his unexpected dance partner but he couldn't do much more than fall into step with the pinstriped performance. Robbie smiled broadly at him, an expression so out of place on the man, and it only got more intriguing as he sang along with the waltz in a playful accompaniment. Sportacus started to grin as well.

"Hey guys, what's going on?" Ziggy came up behind Trixie and tapped her on the shoulder with the lollipop he carried in one hand. The girl was so startled she jumped on the spot and knocked the stereo clear off the bench. The waltz music distorted and sputtered out. Ziggy started to apologize but as he looked around at what was going on his eyes widened and he let out a sharp cry of, "Robbie Rotten!"

Robbie jumped back from Sportacus as though he'd received an electric shock. He looked towards the new arrival with an expression both guilty and exasperated.

"Just Robbie is fine!" he snapped. Standing rigid once more he brushed the wrinkles out of his vest and tugged on his cuffs, fidgeting madly. "And _you_ are?"

"He's another friend," Stephanie was quick to intervene. While she took Ziggy aside for a hasty briefing the rest of the kids went to inspect the condition of the stereo.

"I do have an awful lot of friends," Robbie muttered, not sounding certain that he liked it.

Pixel was able to fix the stereo and soon it was blaring music once more. Stephanie skipped back over to where Robbie still stood stolidly in place while the rest of the kids resumed dancing about the playground.

"Will you dance with me like that, Robbie?" the little girl asked. Robbie looked down at her with his arms crossed.

"You're a little little for that," he said. "I don't think you could keep up."

"Oh please, Robbie, please?" Stephanie begged.

"Stephanie's a good dancer," Sportacus vouched for the girl. "Give her a chance, Robbie, won't you?"

Robbie's lips pursed at both of them, not quite frowning. But still he declined. "I can't dance anymore," he said. "I'm too tired now. And hungry. Isn't there anything to eat around here?"

Sportacus nodded. "Sounds like it's the perfect time for a midday snack to get some more energy. Wait here, I'll be right back."

Sportacus pumped his arms in his signature move before performing an explosive back flip out of the playground and springing away. Robbie and Stephanie both watched the energetic elf vault walls and spin through the air as he left.

"That's a lot of flipping around," Robbie observed. "Wouldn't it be easier just to walk?"

"Well you can't just walk to the airship," Stephanie said, earning a curious look from the tall man.

"Airship?" he repeated. Just then Sportacus halted his acrobatics down the road and pointed up at the sky.

"Ladder!" the hero shouted. Following the gesture Robbie's gaze rose up, and up, and up— all the way up so that he had to squint through the sunlight to where Sportacus' red and blue blimp idled high overhead. His jaw dropped, gaping in awe. A delicate looking rope ladder dropped down from the dirigible and Sportacus climbed it with a speed and confidence unlike any other.

"Is it really his?" Robbie wondered.

"Of course it's his," Stephanie said. "He's LazyTown's super hero!"

"A super hero," Robbie mulled it over, still staring. "What does that make me?" He asked it in an offhanded sort of way but Stephanie fidgeted and tugged on Robbie's sleeve to interrupt his musings.

"Say, how did you know how to dance like that anyway?" she asked him. Robbie pulled his arm free of her but not too sharply and thought about it, scratching his head for a moment. He shrugged.

"I can't remember," he said. "It all just came to me in the moment." He offered a polite chuckle. "I wonder what will come to me next."


	3. Chapter 3

By the time Sportacus came back all of the kids were ready to eat. They cheered as their blue suited hero descended from his airship and raced back over to them in a series of cartwheels and spins. He landed among them and pulled his rucksack from his back with a flourish.

"Energy food, coming right up!" Sportacus announced. The kids and Robbie all crowded around him eager to receive the promised snacks. But as Sportacus opened his bag and distributed the goods Robbie's expectant face fell and he backed away.

"What is _that?_ " Robbie asked. The kids received a wide assortment of snacks from Sportacus that spanned the rainbow: red apples, orange carrots, yellow bananas, and green celery.

"It's sportscandy," Sportacus explained. He held out a carrot to Robbie and the man took another involuntary step back before stopping himself. While his mouth pressed into a thin line Robbie took the carrot from Sportacus with thumb and forefinger, holding it by the leafy end.

"It doesn't look like candy," Robbie said in stilted words. Sportacus chuckled.

"It's better than candy. You'll feel full and be full of energy if you eat this."

Before Robbie could debate with him any further Sportacus' crystal suddenly started to beep and flash on the front of his uniform. Sportacus set his bag down on the bench.

"Someone's in trouble," he said, "I have to go. I'll be right back. Enjoy the snacks!"

The children shouted their farewells as Sportacus dashed off once more. Robbie took a step to chase after the blue jumping bean, a protest still on his lips, but with a frown he let the man go. His nose twitched and his frown squirmed on his face as the kids all crunched, chewed, and smacked on their fruits and vegetables around him.

Robbie's eyes settled on Ziggy as he watched the child juggle between his lollipop and the juicy apple he'd taken for his snack. With keen interest he watched the little boy set his sucker down on the bench next to the rucksack so that he could focus all his attention on eating the fruit. Ziggy turned away from the bench and took a crisp bite out of his apple, one so juicy and satisfying that he let out a big "Mmm!"

For a moment Robbie just stood there silent and still while the kids ate around him. He sidled his way closer to the bench and reached down as casually as he could until his fingertips found the lollipop stick. With flawless sleight of hand he swapped his carrot for the lollipop and grinned as he lifted the sweet to his lips.

"What do you think you're doing?" Stephanie asked, making Robbie pause with the lollipop halfway to his mouth. She stared at him, halting him in place.

"Having some candy," Robbie said slowly, his tone making it clear it should have been obvious. Stephanie shook her head and flapped her hands at him.

"No-no-no, you don't eat candy!"

"I don't?" Robbie asked, a hint of skepticism entering his tone.

"That's right, you have to stop that!" Ziggy said, catching on to where his lollipop had gotten to.

"But why?" Robbie asked.

"Because," Stephanie said, "you like to be healthy! And you DON'T eat candy."

"Yeah!" Ziggy said. "You like nothing more than eating fruits and vegetables all day."

"I do?" Robbie couldn't help making a face.

"Yeah, you eat six, seven, eight carrots a day!" Ziggy counted them off on his fingers gleefully. "Don't you remember that you do that?"

"I don't remember ANYthing," Robbie muttered on the edge of a growl. Ziggy took his lollipop back from Robbie— it took a little bit of tugging before the man released it from his clutches. The confrontation had attracted the attention of the rest of the kids too, and with all of their eyes on him Robbie grudgingly picked up his carrot from the bench. It dangled between his pinched fingers, ticking back and forth like the pendulum of a clock as the seconds dragged by without him eating it.

"Go on Robbie, there's no better time than now," Stephanie urged him.

"Come on Robbie, you've gotta eat the carrot," Stingy agreed.

"On the count of three," Ziggy suggested.

"Okay," Robbie mumbled through pursed lips.

"One," Pixel started the countdown.

"Two," Trixie said next, and along with the rest of the kids declared, " _Thr—!_ "

"Two and a half," Robbie counted over them desperately. The kids giggled and groaned.

"It's now or never, Robbie," Stephanie insisted.

"Better hurry," Trixie said, "Sportacus will be on his way back any second. You wouldn't want to hurt your _best friend's_ feelings, would you?"

Robbie stiffened and narrowed his eyes at Trixie's suggestion. "How would that hurt Sportacus' feelings?" he asked.

"Well he went to the trouble of bringing you your _favorite_ food, and you're just going to refuse to eat it? Uh oh," Trixie pointed behind Robbie, "here he comes!"

Robbie spun around to look and sure enough there came Sportacus jogging back towards the playground. The tall man's face paled. He looked down at the carrot in his hand, up towards the fast approaching elf, and swallowed a big lump in his throat.

"Hey guys," Sportacus called as he jumped over the playground wall, "how are you enjoying your snacks?"

"They're great!" Stephanie chirruped.

"Yeah, I love apples," Ziggy said.

"How about you, Robbie?" Sportacus asked, "Did you like the—"

Robbie had crammed most of the carrot into his mouth and froze mid-chew to stare back at Sportacus, his cheeks bulging. Sportacus' brow quirked slightly as he took in the state of the other man. Robbie gave one long, slow chew and tried to smile around his mouthful.

"Ith... good," Robbie managed to slur through all the carrot. He turned away from Sportacus and his shoulders hunched up high around his ears. Everyone waited and watched the full body shudder that helped force him to swallow. When he turned back around his smile was strained and stained orange. "My... favorite," he said through his clenched teeth. "Got any more?"

Sportacus' eyebrows raised before the rest of his face caught up. He smiled and gestured towards the rucksack still sitting on the bench. "Of course!" he said. "There's plenty more where that came from. You can help yourself!"

"Oh," Robbie said. "Great. Thanks, buddy."

"And you'll need plenty of water to wash it down," Sportacus said, reaching into the bag and pulling out a water bottle. He handed it to Robbie and the purple clad man took it with the same amount of enthusiasm as he had the carrot. Robbie struggled with the cap for a moment before untwisting it. As he tipped it back into his mouth it seemed to drown out a small whimper.


	4. Chapter 4

"And I like doing chores?" Robbie handled the broom as though it was liable to jump to life.

"You don't just like it," Trixie said, "you LOVE it! In fact, you are LazyTown's handyman!"

"Really...?" Robbie considered the idea and tried to twirl the broom around with his fingers but all he managed to do was drop it on the ground. He hastened to pick it back up while the pigtailed girl snickered at him.

"Yes," Trixie assured him. She waved good bye. "Have a nice time!"

"Thanks," Robbie said without much energy as Trixie ran away, leaving him to his duties. Setting his jaw and squaring his shoulders he gripped the broom in both hands. "Okay. I can do this."

There was a lot to clean up in the town square. Somebody had left a big mess of broken metal bits over near the stone wall. And according to Trixie, it was Robbie's job to clean it up. So be it. He put his head down and got to work sweeping it up.

For a good couple of minutes he swept. After that his back ached and his hands were stiff from squeezing the broom handle. He had to stop and wipe at the sweat already forming on his forehead. The trash had barely shifted but he went to get the dustpan anyway.

It was even harder for him to crouch down and sweep some of the scrap metal into the pan. The physical labor had him grumbling under his breath.

"Stupid piece of junk. Whoever left this here should be the one to clean it up, not me!"

Pixel walked by, passing through the town square with his head down. He was so absorbed mumbling to himself that he didn't even notice Robbie to say hello. Robbie stopped what he was doing to listen in, anything besides do his chores.

"Oh, I can't get my computer to work!" the gizmo guy lamented.

"Maybe I can fix it," Robbie offered. "After all, I am LazyTown's handyman."

"Huh?" Pixel looked at Robbie nonplused before shaking his head. "Never mind, it's hopeless. The memory's gone from my computer for good." He let out a big sigh. "None of the other kids understand either. They think I'm freaking out over nothing."

"I think I understand," Robbie said. "With no memory, you don't know who you are or what you do. No memory means no you..."

Now it was Robbie's turn to sigh. Pixel meanwhile got a little fidgety in the face of Robbie's somber words and cast about for any means of changing the subject.

"Hey, there's Ms Busybody!" Pixel put on a lighter tone of voice. "She always likes to get help around her house, why don't you go see her and lend a hand?"

"Ms Busy-what?" Robbie squinted across the square towards where Pixel was directing him. The woman had her big blue hair perfectly styled today for the special occasion of hanging her sheets out on the laundry line. Robbie looked the fashionably dressed woman over and kept his distance. "I couldn't do that, I've never even met her before."

"Sure you have," Pixel said. "You just don't remember."

"Then we're as good as strangers," Robbie said.

"Then I'll reintroduce you to her," Pixel said, not taking "no" for an answer. "Come on!"

* * *

Bessie Busybody didn't need much persuasion to welcome Robbie in for help with the yard work and take him off of Pixel's hands. She gave the lanky man a rolled up list of chores for him to peruse.

"It's only a few teeny-tiny things I need help with," the woman tittered. Robbie unrolled the list more and more until the whole lengthy spool unfurled across the yard. His eyes bugged out a little.

"I'm not sure—" Robbie started to say, but Bessie waved her hand with a hooting laugh.

"Now don't start slacking already, Rodney, or I won't let you have any of my fresh squeezed lemonade later. Chop-chop!"

"It's Robbie," the man mumbled, not to be paid any mind to by the bossy woman.

"Just ask Milford any questions you have," Bessie said as she settled herself down on her lawn chair and picked up her foil reflector to angle the afternoon sun into her face. "I simply must take in the sun while it's still strong. Please no interruptions!"

With the unwieldy list drooping in his hands Robbie looked to the other man present in the yard. Mayor Milford Meanswell was trying to hammer the picket fence back together and already had several thick bandages around most of his fingers.

"You couldn't have come at a better time," Milford said. "There's just too much for me to do by myself!"

"It's hard to say no to her," Robbie said, still eyeing Bessie as she placed a couple slices of cucumber over her eyes. It would make some interesting tan lines, that was for sure...

The mayor chuckled in agreement. As he swung the hammer up again the hammerhead flew straight off the handle. Robbie threw himself down on hands and knees just in time to duck the projectile while Milford stared at the bare handle in his hand with a puzzled expression. Together they gazed at the tree where the hunk of steel had embedded itself in the trunk by its claw end.

"Oh my," Milford said. He shrugged it off with a small laugh. "Well, there's plenty more we can do. I know! Why don't we trim the tree instead?"

Robbie got up slowly, looking at Milford in a new and more cautious light. He glanced back at the tall tree taking up a corner of Ms Busybody's yard and the rickety ladder leaning against it.

"Why don't I hold the ladder," Robbie offered, "and you can go up."

"Excellent idea!" Milford dropped the hammer handle and took up the oversized hedge clippers next. He tucked them under one arm as he hefted his way up the ladder.

"And remember, Milford," Bessie trilled, overhearing their plans, "not too much off the top."

"Oh!" The Mayor startled himself so badly on the first clip that he almost dropped the shears. "I almost got my nose on that one!" Robbie just held tight to the ladder and kept an eye out for any plummeting sharp objects.

* * *

 For a short time Milford trimmed the branches without any issue. Robbie hunched his shoulders and twitched his nose, trying not to sneeze as all the trimmings fluttered down on top of his head. But suddenly a buzzing interrupted the regular snip-snipping of the clippers. A bumblebee had come to investigate the mayor's activities.

"Shoo, shoo!" Milford flapped one hand at the insect whizzing around him.

"What's going on?" Robbie asked, peering up through the leaves and twigs still falling down on him.

"Oh my," the mayor fretted, "that's a BIG bee! Get away, get away!" He squirmed and shook on the top rung of the ladder, making it wobble. "Oh, I'm getting out of here!"

Whipped into a frenzy Milford tried to climb back down the ladder as fast as he could. But in his urgency to navigate the rungs, the branches, and the bee, he fumbled the hedge clippers and dropped them first. Robbie gasped and dove out of the way, abandoning the ladder to save his skin while the sharp scissors stabbed the earth right where he'd been standing.

The ladder teetered and tottered under Milford's thrashing until it completely toppled over!

With a desperate grab Milford managed to cling onto a sturdy tree branch. It was only a tenuous grip with his fingers already bruised and wrapped in bandages, and one that was failing him fast.

"Help," the mayor whimpered.

"Of course you're helping, Milford," Bessie drawled, oblivious to the man's predicament.

Robbie ran back over and tried to pick up the ladder. It was so heavy though, and his arms shook with the strain of trying to lift it. He wouldn't be able to get it back up against the tree in time before Milford fell!

The sound of swishing and swooshing competed with the creaking tree and Milford's strangled grunts for help. All the fingers of one hand lost their grip on the branch, then the other. The mayor seemed to hang there free in the air for a split second before plummeting down to the ground—

And Sportacus came whirling and spiraling through the air to land in Bessie's yard, just in the nick of time to catch him! A final shower of leaves fell down around the men and Sportacus set the mayor down, helping him regain his balance.

"That was close!" Sportacus said.

"Thank you, Sportacus," Milford said between gasps. Once he caught his breath some he dusted himself off, removing a bit of foliage from his suit.

"Do you need any more help?" Sportacus offered. Robbie began to nod but when he opened his mouth to speak the mayor was already answering.

"That won't be necessary," Milford said. "Mr. Rotten is already helping quite a bit."

"Well, all right then," Sportacus said. He nodded to Robbie and brushed a few leaves off of the taller man's shoulder with a wink and a grin. "Just try to be careful. I'll be around."

Robbie stammered wordlessly as the blue suited savior sprinted away. The mayor meanwhile was busy trying to pull the hedge clipper out of the ground.

"Back to work," he said pleasantly. "This _is_ so much easier with someone else here."

"This is hopeless," Robbie murmured.

* * *

Milford and Robbie toiled onward under the hot afternoon sun. The mayor struggled with an armload of wooden boards meant for the fence. It quickly became evident that he'd piled on more than he could handle as he staggered blindly into Robbie, interrupting the purple suited man's hedge trimming and knocking him into the shrubbery.

Thankfully Sportacus was still in neighborhood and as soon as his crystal started to beep he knew just where to look for trouble first. The admirable athlete flipped and cartwheeled his way into the vicinity. With a swift kick he sent an idling wheelbarrow racing across Ms Busybody's yard on a direct course for the mayor. It scooped him up just as his strength gave out under all the heavy boards and saved him from a nasty fall.

"Oh—" the mayor panted and wheezed, "Oh my, thank you again, Sportacus!"

"You are welcome, Mayor," Sportacus said as he sauntered over to check on the portly man. It seemed like Milford was taking advantage of being off his feet and let his limbs dangle weakly out of the wheelbarrow.

"This yard work is tougher than I thought," Milford said.

While Sportacus helped pull Robbie out of the hedge Bessie peeled one cucumber slice away from an eye and looked over towards the new commotion.

"Are you taking a _break?_ " she asked them, more like an accusation. "Milford? Roger?"

"N-No! Not at all!" Milford tried to chuckle as he struggled to get out of the wheelbarrow. "Well, back to work..."

"All right," Sportacus said, "I'll see you guys later then."

Robbie snatched Sportacus by the arm before the hero could depart and pulled him in close. "You have to help me," Robbie growled under his breath so neither the mayor nor the gossipy woman would hear him. "Get me _out_ of here!"

Sportacus took in Robbie's dirt streaked and wrinkled clothes, his sweaty face and tightly reigned in frown, and the equally tight grip the man had on his forearm.

"I'm afraid Robbie has to be going now, Mayor," Sportacus said, his gaze still arrested by Robbie's intensely pleading stare.

"Oh, really?" Milford's voice dipped with a hint of distress at the prospect of losing his assistant, but Sportacus nodded, looking over at the mayor.

"I'm sure you can handle it from here. But if you still need help I'll come back."

"Thank you, Sportacus," Milford said once more.

" _Milford!_ " Bessie called out a warning, and Milford quickly hustled to get back to work on his own. She let out a contented sigh at the sound of chores resuming. The woman didn't even bid a farewell to either Sportacus or Robbie as they made their exit.

* * *

"I don't care what Trixie says," Robbie continued to ache and complain as they left Ms Busybody's house behind, "I do _not_ like doing chores. Some handyman I turned out to be, fah!"

"Trixie said that?" Sportacus asked. Robbie gave a curt nod and sneered.

"Shows what she knows! Maybe _she's_ the one with the memory problem. That Loud-Girl..."

"That's not nice," Sportacus said, "you shouldn't call people names, Robbie."

Robbie's eyes widened and the sneer vanished from his face. "Oh," he said, soundly chastised. "I didn't mean to... It just sort of came out."

"It's all right," Sportacus said, "just... try not to do it again, all right?"

"I won't," Robbie said. He held up one hand and offered a grin. "Scout's honor."


	5. Chapter 5

After his experience with the adults of LazyTown Robbie went willingly back to hanging out with a few of the kids. Sportacus got the ball rolling again with a bit of soccer, then throwing Frisbees around, then playing tag— it seemed like the man never ran out of energy, and neither did the kids. They loved to run and jump and play with their slightly above average hero, and so did Robbie— at least, that's what they all told him.

As hard as he tried to keep up with them all Robbie just couldn't seem to get the knack of any of the games. He huffed and puffed trying to follow along, not laughing with everyone else so much as wheezing. Soccer balls bounced off his backside, Frisbees flew over his head, and he could barely run across the sports field to tag anybody else leaving him stuck as the player to be "It." There were too many rules to learn, too much running and jumping around, and not enough time in the day.

"It's getting late," Stephanie said, pausing in the fun and games to gaze towards the setting sun. "I should be heading home."

"That's a good idea," Sportacus approved with a smile. "Early to bed, early to rise."

"Me too," Stingy said. As the kids started exchanging their farewells Robbie tensed on the spot.

"You're all going home?" he asked.

"Well of course!" Ziggy said. "We can't stay out here all night, can we? You should go home too, Robbie."

"But I can't," Robbie said.

"What?" Ziggy laughed a little. "How come?"

"Because," Robbie said. "I don't remember _where_ I live."

The chatter died down as confusion dawned across everyone's faces. The kids looked to each other and to Sportacus, wordlessly asking— but nobody could say anything. Robbie's hands began to ball up into fists.

"Don't any of _you_ know?" he asked.

"Well— no," Stephanie was the one to come out and say it. "None of us really know that for sure..."

"What?" Robbie stared around at them all, not quite glaring, and his voice cracked. "Well why _not?_ "

The immediate silence in the wake of his question was almost palpable, an uncomfortable pressure on the ears. Stephanie shrugged her shoulders.

"It's not like you've ever invited us over before," she said. "I guess you're pretty private about that sort of thing is all."

Robbie had started to grit his teeth together and his fists were clenching so hard that his knuckles went white. Rather than start shouting, however, he took in a long draw of air through his nose and let it out slowly, uncurling his fingers at the same time. His shoulders sagged and the corners of his mouth drooped down as his whole demeanor deflated.

"What am I supposed to do now?" he asked, almost a plea.

They all stood together with the awkward uncertainty passing back and forth between them.

"I know!" Stingy hopped in place. "He can come stay in MY house and help me count all my things!"

Robbie raised his head and looked at Stingy with a perplexed stitch in his brow for the dubious invitation.

"No," Stephanie countered, "he can stay with me and my uncle and we can practice our dances!" The girl brightened up at the idea while Robbie started to cross his arms, a frown still nestled in his face.

"Why doesn't he come stay at my place?" Ziggy asked. "I've got loads of pizza and soda and—"

"NO!" Everyone shouted the boy down at once. Robbie, who'd just started to perk up at Ziggy's description, returned to looking dejected at the unanimous rejection.

"I think it might be best if he come with me for tonight," Sportacus said. All heads turned towards the hero with murmurs of surprise.

"But Sportacus," Ziggy said, "you almost never invite anyone up into your airship!"

"Yeah," Stephanie said. "Are you sure Robbie would be... safe?"

"That's true," Sportacus said, glancing towards Robbie. The man looked mystified by what the controversy was about. "I think I can make an exception for one night, though. Especially for my best friend. He'll be fine."

* * *

In a show of hospitality Sportacus didn't make Robbie climb the unwieldy rope ladder, but instead called down the platform for them both to stand on. As it began to rise Robbie wrapped his arms around the center pole and screwed his eyes shut, avoiding taking in the ever growing heights at all costs. He shivered as the air grew thinner and colder the higher they went until finally the lift carried them all the way up into the gondola.

"I'm in the airship," Robbie mumbled, peeking through narrowly slit eyes around deck while still clutching tightly to the lift pole. The smoothly curving white walls and bright lights made the interior look far more sleek and advanced than anything down on the ground in LazyTown. Sportacus stepped off the platform as it formed an airtight seal with the rest of the floor and held out his arms.

"That's right," Sportacus said. "Welcome to my home."

"Hm," the skinny man uncurled from his lifeline and took a curious step forward. Seeing how sound the zeppelin's structure was his shoulders relaxed from their hunch. "Nice place." He cupped his hands around his mouth and called, "Hello-o-o!" The gondola echoed his voice back a couple times before it faded and he chuckled. "Kind of... empty, wouldn't you say, Sporta-buddy?"

It took Sportacus a moment to respond as he tripped over the playful name-calling first, but he caught up soon enough. "There's plenty of stuff in here," he said. "I just like to keep it neat and tidy until I need something."

"Is that so," Robbie mused, tapping his chin. "All right, where do you eat your breakfast?"

"That's easy," Sportacus said, and threw one pointing finger up. "Table!" he shouted. A table slid out of the far wall and made Robbie spin around to watch it emerge with a clean _shooshing_ sound. It was already laid out with an assortment of fruits and vegetables. Sportacus ambled over to it and picked up an apple for himself. "Are you hungry?"

The amazement on Robbie's face dampened at the mention of eating. Still he put on a polite smile and approached the spread. With an almost imperceptible sigh he picked up a carrot lying on the table and gnawed on it.

"What about your bed?" Robbie asked. "You don't just roll around deck all night, do you?"

Sportacus grinned and answered with a loud, "Bed!" Down the other end of the ship his bed swung down from the wall, the fluffy pillow and plush comforter miraculously staying in place. Robbie nodded at this, openly impressed.

"Everything has its place here," Robbie commented. "I bet you never lose anything."

"Nope," Sportacus agreed.

"How nice for you," Robbie said. "And here I went and lost not only my memory today, but my whole home too... It's been a long day."

"But it's been a good day too, right?" Sportacus asked. "You've got lots of friends who want to help."

"Some help they've all been," Robbie muttered. He frowned at the partially chewed carrot in his hand and set it down. "Well, whatever. Maybe a good night's sleep is all I really need, and I'll wake up with everything back to normal."

"Right," Sportacus said, now sounding a little less sure himself. They stood across from each other in silence for a couple seconds, not quite looking at each other. Robbie glanced around deck with his arms crossed loosely across his chest, the fingers of one hand drumming the opposite arm.

"Where am I supposed to sleep, anyway?" he asked. "Do you have any more beds in the walls?"

"Oh," was all Sportacus said, his blank expression saying the rest. Robbie raised an eyebrow at him.

"You really don't have people come up here much, do you?"

"Not really," Sportacus said.

"Not even your best friend?" Robbie asked. Sportacus offered a sheepish grin and scratched at the back of his neck.

"I guess I like to have some privacy sometimes," he said. "And it's not that easy to bring people up here anyway, as you saw."

"Kind of like my place," Robbie suggested. Sportacus jerked his hand down and looked at Robbie with wide eyes.

"You remember?" he asked, his brow wrinkling together. But as Robbie shook his head the hero gradually relaxed again.

"Just guessing," Robbie said. "If none of you know where I live, and I never took any of you there before, it must not be that easy to get to either."

"You are pretty private about it," Sportacus agreed.

"Maybe once I remember where I live, you could come visit me sometime!" Robbie said, putting on a smile for other man.

"Maybe," Sportacus said, trying to chuckle but sounding more nervous than amused. "I guess we'll see. In the meantime, though," he strode across the airship towards his bed and pressed a glowing panel on the wall. A narrow compartment swiveled open and he pulled out some neatly folded sheets and blankets— all white, just like the rest of the place. It took a bit of tugging for the spare pillow to pop free of the storage shelf before Sportacus turned back around to face Robbie. "I hope you don't mind rolling around deck for the night," he said with a wink. "The airship shouldn't move too much with it anchored anyway."

Robbie walked across deck and accepted the spare bedding. Together it only took a couple minutes to lay out a presentable spot for him on the floor near the foot of Sportacus' bed. It took longer for Robbie to lower himself down, his body stiff and creaking after the exhausting day and a couple groans escaping through his teeth. But once he was lying down his face had lost most of the worry wrinkles in his brow, the creases of his persistent frown softened into a more neutral line.

"This will do," Robbie said. "But maybe consider getting some more furniture in here. A recliner or something, I don't know."

"Sure thing, Robbie," Sportacus said with a grin. He swung his legs onto his bed and flapped his comforter over himself. All across deck the lights ensconced in the walls slowly dimmed, darkening the gondola for their rest. "Good night."

Robbie didn't respond. He was already snoring.


	6. Chapter 6

The rising sun glinted off the airship as it hung in Earth's stratosphere. The dawning light illuminated the inside of the gondola and made it glow white and gold. Sportacus' eyes snapped open just as the light reached him and his mustache twitched with a spreading grin for the arrival of a new day.

Sportacus threw the covers back as he sat up in bed. He let out a sigh and stretched his arms over his head, then side to side, limbering up from his rest. In one great lunging motion he launched himself out of bed and flipped head over heels to land in a handstand in the center of the deck before somersaulting onto his feet, chuckling all the while.

"What the heck are you doing!" Robbie's alarmed squawking startled Sportacus into spinning round to look back over. The skinny man lay sprawled out in his makeshift bed on the floor, staring blearily at the antics of the elf. He didn't appear amused at having a tumbling routine over his head for a wake-up call.

"Oh— good morning, Robbie," Sportacus said. "Sorry, I forgot you were down there!"

"You do get started early," Robbie grumbled and rubbed at his eyes. Sportacus halted his calisthenics as not to disturb his guest any further, standing far more subdued now.

"So how are you feeling today?" Sportacus asked. "Do you... remember anything, yet?"

"I remember how much I need a bath," Robbie said as he attempted to smooth back his hair. His normally styled and sleek coiffure was a bit stringy and unkempt now. The lanky man looked rumpled all over, in fact, his clothing thoroughly wrinkled and dirty from all of yesterday's exertions. Robbie squinted around the airship for a moment before looking up at Sportacus again. "You don't have a tub on this blimp of yours, do you?"

"I'm afraid not," Sportacus said. Robbie shook his head, not looking surprised, but no less unhappy about it either. Sportacus thought quickly and raised a finger. "But I know someone who does." He took a few steps further across deck and shouted, "Table!"

The airship responded with a small table rising up from the floor. A sheet of paper and a pen lay resting on its surface. Robbie watched with mild curiosity as Sportacus knelt down and jotted a hasty note. By the time Robbie had eased himself up on his feet the hero was already folding the letter— but not to fit into an envelope. Rather he seemed to be folding it into a paper airplane. Robbie paused and squinted like his eyes were failing him as he watched Sportacus tuck the airplane into a bowling ball of all things next.

"In you go," Sportacus hummed to himself as he tapped the letter all the way into the ball. He slipped his fingers into the traditional grip and cocked his arm back, transitioning gracefully into a bowler's stance. "A-a-and, out you go!"

Sportacus threw the bowling ball down the length of the airship and Robbie jumped to one side with a gasp. He stared after it, gaping as a perfectly sized chute slid open in the airship's hull to accept the hurtling object just in time. The airplane-letter soared out of the ship and glided downward towards LazyTown.

"What was that all about?" Robbie asked. Sportacus dusted his hands and stood up from the table as it descended back into the floor.

"Just seeing if our friends can help us out," Sportacus said, grinning. "While we wait, why don't we have a nice healthy breakfast?"

* * *

 At least carrots were off the menu in the morning, but Robbie had plenty other fruits and vegetables to contend with for the most important meal of the day. His stomach gurgled and churned at the tomatoes, apples, and orange juice set before him. With Sportacus seated across from him however he chomped through the roughage and gulped down the juice. The blue clad man spent less time on breakfast himself and more time watching his hungry house guest, his brow raised in silent approval.

A small metal canister suddenly shot up out of the floor and Sportacus reached out one hand, catching it without a second thought. He unscrewed the capsule and pulled out a rolled sheet of paper. Robbie took advantage of the interruption to shove his plate away. The small smile that always seemed to lurk on Sportacus' face spread wider.

"We're in luck," Sportacus said. "There's a hot bath ready for you at Stephanie's house, and they'll even give your clothes a wash too."

"What are we waiting for then?" Robbie rubbed his hands together. "Let's go."

Sportacus nodded and tucked the letter back in its canister. The table receded back into the wall and with breakfast adjourned the two men headed for the lift platform.

"Down!" Sportacus commanded. The platform shuddered and jerked into action as the airship obeyed and Robbie tightened his grip on the lift pole. As the cold air rushed in around their legs from outside however the lanky man tensed up even more. He stared down at the great blue expanse of the sky opening below his feet...

"Wait," Robbie sputtered out. His arms wrapped tighter around the pole as they were lowered out of the ship into the wide open, and the wind whipped at them with a brisk pull. Sportacus halted the descent of the platform.

"What's wrong?" Sportacus asked. "Did you forget something inside the airship?"

"Yes," Robbie squeaked through his teeth. "I forgot— I'm afraid of heights!"

"But Robbie, we have to go down," Sportacus said. "We can take the lift or the ladder, whichever you like."

"I don't like either!" Robbie cried. He closed his eyes against the yawning emptiness of the air around him. "I'm too young to fall— I can't do this, please! Take me back up!"

Robbie had gone completely pale in the frigid wind and Sportacus put a hand on his shoulder to steady his shaking. Without further argument the high-flying hero commanded the platform back up into the gondola.

As soon as the chamber pressurized again and the wind stopped howling Robbie went limp against the lift pole with a gasp.

"Are you okay?" Sportacus asked.

"I'm— fine," Robbie managed to say between tight breaths. The color returned to his face and he frowned at the other man. "Don't try to make me do that again."

"You didn't seem to have much trouble coming up yesterday," Sportacus said.

"Coming up is easier than going down!" Robbie snapped, but he lacked any venom in his tone. He turned away from Sportacus, hiding the red tinge in his face that couldn't be accounted for by the cold air alone. But there was nowhere in the airship for him to hide his shame. "Isn't there any other way?" he asked in a low mutter.

Sportacus rubbed his chin as he considered their options. Eventually he decided and walked away from Robbie towards the front of the airship, heading for the cockpit.

"I can land the airship," Sportacus said. "It's not something I'd normally do but... it won't hurt anything to do it for one day."

Robbie peered over his shoulder after the mustachioed man. "Really?" he asked. Sportacus shot him a reassuring grin before hopping into the pilot seat.

"Of course," Sportacus said, "anything for my best friend. Now hold on tight."

Sportacus set to pedaling and took hold of the steering wheel, angling the ship smartly down towards the town. Robbie grabbed onto the lift pole again and swung around it in a full rotation before regaining his footing. It startled something like a laugh out of him. Sportacus laughed with him.


	7. Chapter 7

The circling airship drew attention around town as it descended and landed in the little field just outside of Lazy Park. Stephanie, Ziggy, and Stingy came running as the dirigible touched down and the steady whir of the propellers quieted. The ship's door swung open and a platform shuttled down from the deck to allow the laughing and chatting men inside to disembark.

"Sportacus!" the children cried. Sportacus smiled at the kids and waved. Just behind the hero Robbie's own smile shrank to the slightest quirk of the lips and he straightened up, stifling the last bit of a chuckle.

"Is something the matter with your airship?" Ziggy asked. "Why did you land?"

"Nothing's wrong," Sportacus said. He gestured back towards Robbie, waving for the other man to come forward. The kids looked curiously at Robbie and the man fidgeted on the spot. "I'm just dropping Robbie off here so he can get washed up."

"He sure could use it," Stingy muttered, and the kids all giggled. Sportacus waited for them to settle down while Robbie frowned a bit.

"You'll take him to your house, Stephanie, won't you?" Sportacus asked, looking to the pink girl.

"That's right," Stephanie said. She stepped towards the platform and reached to take Robbie's hand but the man sidestepped her grasp and scampered down the ramp on his own. She giggled again and followed him. Robbie looked back over his shoulder towards Sportacus.

"You're not coming?" he asked.

"As long as the airship is landed I can take care of some maintenance," Sportacus said. "Then I have to do my training. But I'll catch up with you later. Bye, guys!"

Before Robbie could say anything else Stephanie managed to grab the man by the wrist and pulled him along. He stumbled into a walk with the kids and found the little girl's grip was stronger than it looked.

* * *

Trixie pushed herself lazily down the sidewalk on her scooter and craned her head around, looking for something to do. She almost scooted right past Stephanie's house but doubled back, looking again. Sitting out front were Stephanie, Stingy, and Ziggy, wearing the biggest grins she had ever seen.

"Hey guys," Trixie called as she rolled down the walkway towards them, "what are you doing?"

"Shhh!" Stingy shushed the pigtailed girl and halted her in her tracks.

"What's going on?" Trixie asked in a quieter voice. The three kids pointed in unison up at the window under which they sat. It was completely fogged over and streaked with condensation— the bathroom, currently occupied. "I don't get it, what's so funny?"

"Just listen," Stephanie whispered, almost a squeak, and the boys sniggered and quieted themselves all at once.

Trixie walked the rest of the way across the yard and removed her helmet. All that could be heard was the running water from the shower. She put her hands on her hips. "Is this some kind of joke?" she asked.

"Shhh!" Stingy hissed again. Trixie opened her mouth to give Stingy a real piece of her mind...

"Wash-wash-wash, I love to shower..." a deep voice crooned, audible even through the windowpanes.

Trixie's mouth remained open and her eyes widened. She gawked between the foggy window and the rest of the kids hunkered down beneath it, their faces all red and screwed up with the effort it took not to burst out laughing.

"Is that—?" Trixie asked, unable to fully form the question.

"Wash-wash-wash, bathe for an hour!" Robbie trilled, yodeled, and sang over the hissing water.

"No. _Way_ ," Trixie's face split into a big grin to match her friends. They nodded their heads and chortled behind muffling hands. Trixie clapped her own hands over her mouth and snickered.

"Wash-wash-wash, scrub and brush all day—" Robbie belted out the chords in a resonating bass, "And clean all that nasty filth awa-a-ay...!"

They couldn't hold it in anymore. The kids let loose with howls of laughter and peals of applause, whistling and hooting for an encore.

The water stopped running and the bathroom fell silent for a moment. A hand slapped up on the window and wiped the condensation clear with a furious _squeaking_ back and forth. In the cleared out circle the hand was replaced by Robbie's squinting face. He peered through the streaked window, eyes darting furtively side to side before snapping down towards the children. They lay sprawled out on the grass holding their sides from their laughter.

"Kids!" Robbie shouted through the window.

"Hey, Robbie!" Trixie shouted back at him, cackling madly. "Do you need any backup singers? You should take this on the road!"

Robbie ducked away from the window. The kids could hear the sharp _zing_ of the shower curtain and the bang of the bathroom door. It took a good handful of minutes for them to regain some composure and catch their breaths. Trixie stood doubled over with her hands bracing her knees and Stephanie wiped tears from her eyes.

The front door to Stephanie's house opened a crack. Robbie poked his head outside and one look at him had the kids rolling in laughter again. The man had wrapped a big white towel all around his hair and stacked it on his head like a beehive. He'd swaddled himself completely in a robe and towels, in fact, but still did not dare to set foot outside.

"Little girl," Robbie hissed, glaring bullets at Stephanie as he tried to get her to focus. "Hey, Pinkie!"

"Hey, Robbie," Stephanie said, a giggle still bubbling out of her. "Was your shower all right?"

"Forget about that!" Robbie snapped while his face went red. "Where did you put my clothes? You were supposed to clean them for me!"

"They are clean," Stephanie said, "but now they're drying. Over there," she pointed across the street towards Ms Busybody's house. Robbie stared, his mouth twitching between a grimace and gaping shock to see his purple striped pants and vest along with his blue turtleneck flapping in the breeze on the clothesline.

"What am I supposed to wear now?" he demanded.

"You can borrow some of my uncle's clothes," Stephanie said. "Uncle Milford said he left some out for you in his room."

Robbie slammed the door shut, disappearing back inside. It gave the kids time to fall down laughing once more.

* * *

When the door to Stephanie's house next creaked open, Robbie was even slower about stepping outside.

"No more laughing," he warned them in a severe tone, only his face peering around the door.

"Okay," Stephanie said, doing her best to look calm.

"I mean it," Robbie said even more forcefully, now a bit of his shoulder coming into view.

"We promise," Ziggy said. The other kids nodded— although Trixie crossed her fingers behind her back.

Slowly Robbie emerged from the house. He pressed himself against the door as he shut it, his movements short and stiff. The children's eyes widened briefly, their mouths puckered— but they managed not to laugh.

Milford Meanswell had left Robbie some of his yard work clothes to wear. But the portly mayor's measurements were all wrong for dressing the tall and skinny man. The denim overalls ended around Robbie's knees and his shirt sleeves didn't even reach his wrists. He looked crunched inside the gardening garb and his expression was pinched to match.

"That's a new look for you," Trixie said. Stephanie nudged her friend in the ribs and Trixie cleared her throat. "I mean, it's good!"

"Whatever," Robbie muttered. Seeing as the kids were controlling their giggles the man left the relative safety of the house and walked over to join them. His black and white spats did not go with the rest of his ensemble and Stingy seemed mesmerized by his mismatched wardrobe.

"So what should we do now?" Stephanie asked.

"I know," Ziggy said, "we could have a picnic! Let's go to the garden to get some fruits and vegetables for lunch!"

"Uh uh!" Stingy snapped out of his trance and shook his head. He put a hand to his chest, offended by the very idea. "I'm not getting _these_ clothes dirty in some dirty— garden— dirty... _dirt!_ "

"Aw, Stingy," Ziggy said, "we'll change into gardening clothes, just like Robbie!"

"Oh," Stingy said. He looked thoughtfully at Robbie. The man was still tugging on his pant legs and sleeves as though he could will them to be long enough for his limbs. "Well in that case, I guess it's okay."

"Gardening?" Robbie's nose wrinkled. "But I just got clean."

* * *

The kids chattered back and forth across the garden to each other. They all had donned their gardening gloves, hats, and aprons, and wielded spades and rakes to turn over the soil in each of their garden boxes. The vegetables seemed to sprout right before their very eyes, each plot ready to be harvested.

"This is the good stuff," Stephanie hummed as she plucked some tomatoes off the vine. The other kids agreed with her. They gathered broccoli, squash, and strawberries to have for their picnic lunch.

"Aren't my vegetables beautiful?" Stingy sighed in appreciation of his flowering fruits of the earth. All of his vegetables were labeled the same way with a simple "MINE" sign for each.

Robbie stood over a garden box too, but had barely put so much as a divot into the dirt with his spade. Not that he needed the tool anyway. He could just uproot the carrots by hand. But he didn't touch them, instead watching everyone else work around him.

"This is really your idea of fun?" he posed the question to the group.

"Ours _and_ yours," Stephanie stressed to the man. "You love vegetables, remember?"

"Sure," Robbie said with a sigh. "I love all these fruity... veggie... things."

"And you've totally got a green thumb!" Trixie said. "Maybe even both thumbs." Robbie looked startled by the claim and held up his hands to inspect his digits.

"They're not green," he said, giving the girl a squinty look. Trixie snickered at him.

"It means you like taking care of plants," Stephanie explained. "And we can always use more help with the garden, so it's a good thing you do."

"Yeah!" Ziggy agreed. "With you here, Robbie, we'll be going in no time!"

"I think my get up and go just got up and went," Robbie muttered. He continued to keep an eye on Ziggy, however. Or rather, on Ziggy's vegetable plot.

Besides the usual leafy greens poking out of the dirt there were some rather unconventional sproutlets growing in the kid's garden bed. In particular, a colorful array of lollipops stuck out of the plot as though they had bloomed there, rather than being deliberately stuck in there by a hopeful little boy. Robbie's stomach growled. Ziggy giggled at the man, overhearing it.

"Hey Robbie, why don't you have a snack?" Ziggy suggested.

"Can I?" Robbie asked, setting his spade down without any further convincing. He abandoned his carrot patch to sidle up next to Ziggy.

"Sure," Ziggy said, waving his hands around them, "there's plenty to eat right here!"

"Don't mind if I do," Robbie murmured, already knowing just what he wanted. But as he reached down to pluck one of the lollipops from the box Stephanie was quick to catch on to him.

"Robbie!" Stephanie's voice rang like a warning across the garden and Robbie jerked his hand back like he'd been burned. He forced a laugh and smiled around at the kids.

"Only joking," he said in a singsong tone. "I was actually reaching for this..." His smile quivered on his face as he pulled up a radish from the dirt and brushed it off. "See?"

"Take a bite, and we'll really see," Trixie challenged him.

Robbie glanced around the garden. All of the kids had stopped what they were doing to watch him. He brushed a few more particles of dirt off the radish and cleared his throat. It was difficult to part his teeth enough to slip the red vegetable into his mouth, and harder still to bite down on it. He munched and crunched noisily. Several tears sprang to his eyes.

"Wow," Stingy said in awe. "I've never seen anyone eat a radish like that before. They're supposed to be really spicy!"

Trixie laughed long and hard while Robbie gave up on pretense and darted towards the edge of the garden to spit out the radish.

"Trixie, that wasn't funny," Stephanie scolded her friend.

"I don't know about that," Trixie snorted. Stingy too had started to snicker.

Robbie staggered back over and it was clear his tongue was still burning from the sharply flavored sprout. He ignored everything else around him in that moment and yanked one of Ziggy's lollipop's straight out of the garden box and jammed it into his mouth.

"Robbie no!" Stephanie shrieked, the other kids sounding equally shocked by his behavior. Robbie just rolled his eyes at them— or rather, his eyes nearly rolled back in his head while his whole body shivered with relief from that sugary insurgence.

When he finally pulled the sucker out of his mouth the kids were still staring at him, wide-eyed and frozen in place. He looked back at them all, his initial relief from the burning being replaced by a new sense of self-conscious uncertainty. It was like they were waiting for him to do something else with dreadful anticipation.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"Is he remembering?" Stingy asked through his lips to the other kids, but Stephanie shushed him.

Robbie set the lollipop down. "Remember what?" he asked.

"So you don't remember?" Ziggy asked, and Stephanie shushed him too.

"I remember yesterday you said I don't eat candy," Robbie said, eyeing Stephanie carefully. "But a little can't hurt, can it? It certainly tastes good..."

The kids exchanged a few more glances amongst themselves and relaxed. Stephanie nodded back to the man.

"Sportacus says it's okay to have a little candy sometimes," she allowed. "But it's much better for you to eat fruits and vegetables instead."

"So Sportacus doesn't ever eat candy?" Robbie asked.

"No way!" Ziggy exclaimed. "He couldn't do that, or he'd go into a—"

"ZIGGY!" the other kids interrupted Ziggy and the little boy bit his tongue. Robbie raised his eyebrows, openly intrigued, but none of them were willing to finish the statement.

"Well," Robbie said, "that's too bad. He's missing out."

"And we're missing our own picnic," Stephanie said, bustling everyone back into action again. "Let's load up these vegetables and get going."

The other kids agreed with the pink girl and quickly finished harvesting their gardens. Robbie helped as well, if a bit more slowly. He was tasked with carrying the loaded down picnic basket out to Lazy Park. As they all vacated the garden Robbie slipped a couple more lollipops in among the carrots.


	8. Chapter 8

Lazy Park was the perfect place to have their picnic. With the blanket spread out under the shade of the trees Robbie clasped his hands behind his head and kicked back, relaxing as best as he could. He didn't bother with any of the sportscandy, seeming more inclined to take a nap. But it wasn't easy with all the kids eating, chatting, and laughing around him.

Trixie flicked a grape off Robbie's nose, making the man twitch and open one eye to glare at her. "What's wrong, Robbie?" she asked. "Aren't you hungry anymore?"

"Somehow I've lost my appetite," Robbie said, giving her an accusing look. She just grinned and popped another grape in her mouth.

"After we're done with lunch, why don't we play a game?" Stephanie suggested.

"I'd rather take a nap," Robbie grumbled, closing his eyes once more.

"But you can nap when it's time for bed!" Ziggy said.

"I'll be too busy sleeping then," Robbie yawned. Trixie took the opportunity and flicked another grape at the reclining man. Her aim was perfect as it soared straight down his throat. Robbie jerked upright with a cough and a gag before swallowing the offending fruit. He beat on his chest a few times while Trixie and Stingy laughed, and they only quieted when he growled hoarsely at them.

A plaintive mewing sound drifted down to the group. Robbie and the kids raised their heads every which way, looking for the source. Ziggy spied it first and pointed.

"Hey, look! There's a kitten up in that tree!"

Clinging onto a high tree branch was a little black puff of fur that, with enough squinting, could be identified as the kitten in question. It cried again, a pathetic and tiny noise almost lost in the leaves.

"Oh, the poor thing!" Stephanie ran over to the tree and craned her neck, checking the frightened feline out. "I don't think it can get down on its own."

"Why did it go up there in the first place?" Stingy asked.

Robbie got off the picnic blanket along with the others to go take a closer look. He gazed up at the little black hairball with a sympathetic slant to his frown.

"It's easier going up than coming down," he said.

"What if it falls?" Ziggy asked, worrying his lip.

"Cats always land on their feet," Trixie said, "right?"

"But it's only a baby!" Ziggy said. "Maybe it hasn't learned how to do that yet?"

As the children considered the possibilities Robbie balled his hands into fists, his knuckles whitening the longer he stared up at the kitten. His shoulders started to hunch up to his ears and his jaw clenched tighter and tighter until finally he took in a sharp and deep breath.

"That's it," Robbie determined. The kids paused their discussion and looked at the man. He didn't elaborate on the statement any further, clamping his mouth shut again. Without any further ado he stepped right up to the tree and threw his arms around it, latching onto the trunk and digging one heel in to hoist himself up.

"What are you doing?" Ziggy gasped. The man's intentions were clear enough as Robbie painstakingly dragged himself up the tree, climbing inch by shaky inch. The kids didn't dare try to pull him down, they were all too shocked by such an energetic response in the skinny man to interfere.

"You're going to get all dirty!" Stingy warned Robbie, not that it mattered. The undersized gardening clothes he wore were already scratched up with bark and bits of moss as Robbie shimmied his way higher. It truly was an impressive feat and the kids stopped shouting any more distractions at him, falling into an awed silence as they watched.

Robbie was puffing and sweating by the time he got near the large tree branch on which the kitten had taken cover. His arms and legs were about ready to give out on him, trembling and aching from being strained so thoroughly. He just managed to swing one leg up on the branch and drag himself the rest of the way so that he finally sat with his back against the trunk, chest heaving and hands raw from clawing up the bark.

Robbie wiped some sweaty strands of hair out of his eyes, smoothing it back, and inspected the status of the animal. The kitten had backed further out on the branch at Robbie's approach and its fur stood on end, puffing it out from the size of a baseball to that of a softball.

"It's all right," Robbie muttered, either to himself or to the cat, or maybe both of them. He slowly started to lean forward and reach out one arm towards the kitten. Its big bright eyes stared back into Robbie's and it let out another distressed mewl. It didn't back away any further, however, seeming to wait for him. He just needed to get a little bit closer...

Robbie scooted a couple inches down the branch and leaned over as far as he could. There his fingers were scant centimeters from stroking the black fur of the kitten— But as his balance shifted he felt himself sliding off the tree branch, beckoned by the irresistible pull of gravity.

With a gasp Robbie sat back heavily, emitting a whimper of his own. Try as he did to keep his eyes on the cat he couldn't help his gaze from slipping, dropping down through the leaves, down past other branches, down, down—

* * *

 "Robbie? Is the kitten okay?" Stephanie called up to Robbie after a time of relative silence. The kids could only see Robbie sitting up there, and he wasn't moving very much. They couldn't see the kitten at all anymore.

A quiet, desperate whine drifted down to the kids that said, "Help..."

* * *

 Sportacus came running through Lazy Park, driven by the crystal flashing and beeping on his chest. He spotted the kids clustered around one of the trees and headed for them.

"Hey, guys!" he called, managing to turn their heads away from whatever they were doing. "I think someone's in trouble around here, I came as soon as I could. What's up?"

Stingy pointed up at the tree. "Robbie Rotten."

"Robbie?" Sportacus cocked his head back and followed Stingy's pointing finger. Robbie hadn't budged an inch, still perched way up on the high branch. Sportacus cupped his hands around his mouth to shout up to him. "Robbie, what's wrong?"

"I'm stuck!" Robbie bawled in answer.

"Just climb down!" Sportacus encouraged him.

"I can't!" Robbie cried.

"Then jump down," Sportacus held out his arms, ready to catch him.

"I won't!" Robbie howled.

"Then FALL down," Trixie said. There was a pause.

"I might," came the whispered response, Robbie's voice quavering.

Trixie snickered but quieted at once under Sportacus' gaze. "Just hang on, Robbie," Sportacus said. "I'll be right back."

Sportacus ran off in a flash, leaving the kids to keep vigil over Robbie. It only took him a few minutes to fetch the ladder from the tree house and carry it back through the park. It was just tall enough when he set it against the tree for him to climb up underneath Robbie's branch.

It took a little more persuasion to get Robbie to leave the tree, and longer still to coax him down the ladder. He had to stop on each rung with a whine or a groan, but Sportacus was patient. When at last both men set foot on the ground again the children swarmed around them.

"Is everyone okay now?" Sportacus asked, and the kids all agreed. Robbie meanwhile slipped a hand into his overalls and, wincing, drew out a wriggling ball of black fur with sharp little claws. The kitten squirmed in his hold and meowed insistently. Sportacus looked confused by the stowaway but the children all started to cheer.

"You did it, you saved the kitten!" Stingy shouted with joy.

"That was great!" Trixie laughed.

"Is that why you were up there?" Sportacus asked, and laughed too. "Good job, Robbie!"

"You were really brave!" Stephanie said. Robbie's painful wincing subsided as he considered their words.

"I was, wasn't I?" he said.

"You were as brave as Sportacus," Ziggy agreed. "Just like a super hero!"

"A hero," Robbie looked thoughtfully at the kitten. It had quit flailing around and settled on purring. Robbie crouched down and set the tiny animal free. It shook itself out and scampered away a safe distance where it could groom itself in peace. He brushed at himself, not making much difference to all the bits of wood, moss, and cat hair that marred his loaner clothing. "Not dressed like this."

"Your clothes must be dry by now," Stephanie said. "You could go change and come back and we'll finish our picnic."

"Go all the way there just to come back?" Robbie looked tired at the very idea. "I was already ready for a nap before that wild beast got itself up in the tree."

"Why don't I get them for you?" Sportacus offered. "You stay here with the kids. I'll be right back."

While Sportacus ran and jumped out of the park Robbie wasted no time hobbling back over to the picnic blanket and sprawling down on it. He upset plates of crackers and cantaloupe but it didn't matter. All those heroics had earned him a nap, and none of the kids were going to stop him this time. They sat down around the snoring man, giggling and hushing each other so as not to disturb him while they finished their lunch.

* * *

 Robbie was not happy to be woken but he cheered up quickly enough at sight of the purple and blue peace offerings that Sportacus carried in his arms. With a delighted cackle Robbie grabbed his clothing and shook them all out, admiring how clean and flawless they were. Once he'd gotten over the reunion with his wardrobe however he looked around the park.

"The airship's still out in the field," Sportacus said, already knowing what the man was looking for. "You can change in there if you like."

"You're a real Sporta-Pal," Robbie grinned at the hospitable hero and made a beeline for the clearing, only a hop, skip, and jump away. Sportacus chuckled a little and helped the kids clean up the remains of the picnic before they all followed after the man.

The kids wandered around the clearing as they waited for Robbie, picking at flowers or kicking pinecones back and forth. Sportacus kept them entertained too by teaching them how to do cartwheels and handstands. They ran around the airship as they raced each other, tumbled in the grass, laughed and played without a care in the world.

"Robbie sure is taking a while," Stephanie said during a break from playing tag.

"Do you think he's okay?" Ziggy asked. "Maybe he got stuck in the mayor's overalls?"

"Maybe he's napping again," Stingy suggested dryly.

"Then we'd better go wake him," Trixie said with a grin. Together they headed for the entrance into the airship. The ramp was still extended down, the door open.

Sportacus appeared in the doorway of the airship just as they reached the egress, blocking their entry. "Hey, kids," the blue clad man greeted them with a perky wave, "what's going on?"

"Oh, Sportacus," Stephanie smiled up at him. "We didn't see you go in. Is Robbie still inside?"

Sportacus came up behind the kids with his hands on his hips. "What are you guys doing?" he asked.

The kids spun around to look at Sportacus. He tilted his head at their blank stares.

"Sportacus?" Stingy asked.

"Yes?" Sportacus replied up in the ship. The kids turned around again, looking back up at him. Stephanie rubbed at her eyes and Ziggy blinked rapidly, none of them sure of what they were seeing. Sportacus traipsed down the ramp and they parted out of his way. He stopped in front of Sportacus with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm Sportacus," Sportacus said with a tentative grin.

"No, _I_ am Sportacus," Sportacus said, grinning back.

It was like they were seeing double. Sportacus and Sportacus stood face to face, same hat, same goggles, same uniform— even the same sharp mustache. They circled each other, every movement like a mirror image, and looked one another up and down.

"No," Sportacus said, " _I'm_ Sportacus!"

Sportacus chuckled and offered a playful shrug. "Me too!"

"What's going on?" Ziggy asked in a high whisper.

"Two Sportacus-es...s?" Stingy ogled the spectacle and tripped over his own tongue.

"There can't be two," Stephanie said, but couldn't make an argument as to why not.

"Then which one is the real Sportacus?" Trixie asked. Sportacus looked away from Sportacus and stepped towards the kids.

"I'm the real Sportacus!" he said.

"No, it's me!" Sportacus said, stepping up beside him.

The children's eyes were starting to glaze over a bit from the relentless illusion.

One Sportacus then did something so bizarre it made the kids gasp in horror— he ripped off his mustache!

The impostor removed his hat and goggles next and that's when the realization hit everyone. It wasn't Sportacus at all! It was—

" _Robbie Rotten!_ " The kids shrieked in tones so shrill they made Robbie jump on the spot.

"It's funny, right?" Robbie asked.

"What are you trying to pull?" Trixie demanded.

Robbie's nose twitched under the unexpectedly intense gawking and outright glaring of the kids. He tried to keep the grin on his face as he held up his false mustache, showing it off for them. "It's just a bit of fur from that kitten today. Pretty convincing, isn't it?" He turned to Sportacus when he got no encouragement from the kids. "I mean, I look just like you! Like some sort of disgui—"

" _No,_ " Stephanie interrupted him, finding her voice again, "it's _not_ funny at all!"

"It isn't?" Robbie dropped the fur and fidgeted the sports cap around in his hands.

"It's sneaky," Ziggy said.

"And sly," Stingy drew out the word in a hiss.

"It was just a joke," Robbie said, shrinking under their stony stares. Meekly he offered the hat and goggles over to their rightful owner, but Sportacus was still in some sort of shock of his own and staring at the man, not moving to accept his belongings. Robbie cleared his throat. "I'll just... go change then."

He walked delicately between the children and back up the ramp into the airship, ducking out of sight.

* * *

 Robbie was dressed in his proper clothes within minutes, but he didn't come back outside right away. The children were having a heated, whispered discussion with Sportacus out in the clearing. He could only catch snippets of what was being said.

"That guy—" Ziggy, "—kind of trick!" Upset.

"But what—" Stephanie, "—remembers—?" Worried.

"—always gonna—" Trixie, "—Rotten!" Angry.

"—down, it's—" Sportacus, "—talk to him—" Careful and calm.

Footsteps rang off of the metal ramp, coming up to the doorway.

"Robbie?" Sportacus looked into the dirigible. Robbie stood with his arms straight down at his sides. The hero's spare uniform lay folded on the floor, hat and goggles sitting on top. Sportacus' gaze rested briefly on the laundry before rising back up to the other man. He smiled. "You look better in stripes, you know," he said.

Robbie didn't say anything. He managed a curt nod.

"The kids are heading home," Sportacus said. "I've got to take the ladder back to the tree house. Think you could help me with it?"

It was such an empty request it barely filled the silence in the airship. But Robbie didn't argue with it. He went slowly down the ramp, scanning the clearing. The kids were already long gone. Sportacus fell into step beside him and they walked together into Lazy Park.


	9. Chapter 9

Sportacus had no problem carrying the ladder by himself. It wobbled and swayed while braced against one shoulder as he walked. Robbie accompanied him on his opposite side, helpfully avoiding the unwieldy instrument altogether.

With cartwheels and handsprings out of the question and no impending emergencies to spur on so much as a trot they walked through the park at an almost leisurely pace. It would have been leisurely if not for the lingering tension in Robbie's gait and the quality of the quiet between them. Sportacus kept glancing sidelong at his companion but Robbie had his eyes cast downward. His head drooped a bit and his shoulders sagged so much that the taller man could almost match the elf's height, as though he were trying to minimize his presence. If anything it just made Sportacus look at him longer.

Eventually Sportacus came out and asked him. "Robbie, why did you dress up like me?"

Robbie flinched before he could control his face. He shrugged theatrically and blew out a sharp sigh. "I told you all before it was a joke. Why do none of you believe me?"

"It's not that we don't believe you," Sportacus said, and Robbie rolled his eyes. "The kids were surprised, that's all. They didn't know you were playing, they thought you were trying to trick them."

"That's ridiculous," Robbie chanced to look at Sportacus with a skeptical arch to his eyebrow. "Why would I do something like that?"

It was Sportacus to glance away at this, not having a ready answer. He stalled and shifted the ladder against his shoulder.

"I think," Robbie said, "they're the ones trying to trick me."

Sportacus almost dropped the ladder and Robbie took a hasty sidestep to avoid the wide swing of the tool until the mustachioed man had corrected his grip.

"Why would you say that, Robbie?" Sportacus asked. "I know they may have been a bit hard on you just now but it was all a misunderstanding. They're a nice group of kids, they'll come back around in no time."

"Nice? You think they're nice?" Robbie glared at Sportacus. "Those kids are FOOLING you. All they do is laugh at me."

"No!" Sportacus denied it.

"Yes," Robbie insisted. "They like to call me names!"

" _No!_ " Sportacus couldn't believe it.

" _Yes,_ " Robbie hissed. They like to call me—" Robbie's face radiated an angry red until he could spit it out— "ROTTEN!"

"Well," Sportacus thought better than to argue semantics with the man. "That's not nice."

"Isn't it awful?" Robbie's glare crumpled a little, his brow knitting into a more vulnerable stitch. "I don't get it. I've never done a thing to them! And they're supposed to be my friends."

"They are your friends," Sportacus assured him. Robbie crossed his arms.

"You really want to know why I dressed up like you?" he asked in a low voice.

"Why?" Sportacus craned his head in to better hear.

"I thought maybe if I dressed like you, I could..." Robbie trailed off and shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I'm not really cut out to be a hero anyway."

They reached the tree house. Robbie stood back while Sportacus propped the ladder up where it belonged. Sportacus dusted off his hands and turned back to the other man, who was back to staring at the ground.

"I think there's a hero inside of everyone," Sportacus said.

"Not in me," Robbie shrugged.

"Would you like there to be?" Sportacus asked. It got Robbie to glance up at him with a squint. "Anyone can be a hero if you start small and take it step by step. I bet that kitten earlier today thinks you're a hero, don't you?"

"The kitten," Robbie said, "has a brain smaller than a walnut. The kids don't want me. If I would try to help them now, they would only yell at me again."

"If I promise you that they won't," Sportacus said, "will you give it another chance?" Robbie considered him and his proposal.

"And if they do?" he asked. Sportacus smiled.

"They won't. You'll see."

* * *

 Stephanie answered the knocking at the front door of her uncle's house. She smiled at once to see Sportacus standing on the front stoop. But when the hero moved over enough to show Robbie standing a few feet behind him, the girl's smile faded and her face scrunched up into a guarded expression.

"What's going on?" Stephanie asked. Robbie had his arms crossed behind his back and a nervous grin on his face. He brought Stephanie's pink stereo around front and set it on the ground. "That's mine!" Stephanie exclaimed, taking an automatic step forward in indignation. She stopped in her tracks as Robbie pressed a button and the speakers let out with a lilting waltz number. The man extended a slightly trembling hand to her.

"May I," Robbie's voice was tight and on the verge of cracking and he cleared his throat, "have this dance?"

Stephanie stared at Robbie, then at Sportacus. The blue suited hero smiled at her and nodded towards the waiting waltzer. She met Robbie's eyes, her own still slightly narrowed.

"I thought you said I was too little," Stephanie said. Robbie's grin twitched but remained where it was.

"Leave it to me," Robbie said. "Just step right up."

With another glance at Sportacus Stephanie left the house and approached Robbie. She eyed his proffered hand a little longer before tentatively reaching out, accepting. With a quick tug Robbie pulled her in the rest of the way and right up on top of his feet. Stephanie stumbled and quickly tried to back off but Robbie stepped with her movement, keeping her planted on the uppers of his shoes.

"There, that's— not so bad, is it?" Robbie's grin looked closer to a grimace to have the weight of the little girl flattening his spats but he persisted in twirling around with her to the cadence of the music. She couldn't seem to decide between staring up at his face or down at their stacked feet. Either way she started to giggle.

"It is fun," she admitted, "but why?"

"To make up for earlier," Robbie said. "It was Sportacus' idea... I hope that's okay."

"It's not okay," Stephanie said, and before Robbie could falter in his steps she exclaimed, "it's great!"

"Oh," Robbie let out a breath he'd started holding. "Good!"

Robbie spun Stephanie around on the sidewalk for the duration of the song. Sportacus looked on with his arms crossed and a satisfied smile on his face. His mustache twitched with a chuckle as Robbie dipped the pink girl and got her to laugh as well. She was less eager to step back from the man when the music ended and he switched off the stereo.

"One more song?" Stephanie asked.

"Not right now," Robbie said, his grin a little less strained while he took the opportunity to rub at one of his feet. "I'm too tired to dance anymore. And hungry."

"Why don't we go check on Ziggy," Sportacus suggested. "I'm sure he'll be happy to have you over for dinner."

* * *

 Ziggy was not exactly happy to see Robbie at his door— at least, not until Robbie presented the little boy with a bountiful gift basket full of fruits and vegetables, freshly picked from the garden. And with Sportacus agreeing to stick around they had a perfectly healthy meal together. Robbie even got Ziggy to laugh by accidentally trying to eat a banana whole— peel and all. With a tactful correction from their role model Sportacus, however, supper was a success.

Despite the energy rich sportscandy Robbie was outright yawning by the end of the meal. Sportacus too was checking the time.

"It will be night soon," Sportacus said. "I need to raise the airship back up. Robbie, are you..." Sportacus paused for only the slightest moment as Robbie stifled his yawn to look properly at him. "Did you want to stay on the airship again tonight?"

"He can stay with me, Sportacus," Ziggy offered. "We could have a sleep-over and stay up all night playing games and telling stories!"

"That's all right," Robbie said, waving his hands in a polite but hasty refusal. "I, uh— already have a place to stay tonight."

"Really? Where?" Sportacus asked. Ziggy looked equally curious. Robbie rubbed at his nose for a moment.

"I was thinking about that tree house," he said. While Ziggy's eyes lit up with wonder Sportacus' brow furrowed in response.

"Woah, you'd go camping all by yourself?" Ziggy asked.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Sportacus asked. "You don't have to sleep in a tree."

"Maybe I want to," Robbie said, lifting his chin. "Is there something wrong with that?"

"Well no, but isn't it a little... high up?" Sportacus asked. Robbie's eyes darted before he waved his hand again in dismissal.

"It's nowhere near as high as your airship," he said.

"My house is even lower than the tree," Ziggy said. "You don't want to stay with me?"

"What I want," Robbie said, "is to stay in my own place... but the tree house will have to do for tonight. But," he said, noticing the way the boy's brow started to wrinkle in disappointment, "I can come back tomorrow."

"That's great!" Ziggy said. "We could get up really early and surprise everybody with a big breakfast!"

"Great," Robbie said, sounding a strange combination of relieved and disappointed. He rose from the table and covered his mouth, smothering yet another yawn. "Everything is getting so tiring. I must be leaving."

"I'll go too," Sportacus said. "You could at least use the spare bedding from the airship, right?"

"I hadn't thought of that," Robbie muttered, and grudgingly nodded.

* * *

 Ziggy saw both men out of his home and waved them off. The day was only just starting to get dark but Robbie nearly dragged his feet as he and Sportacus headed towards the tree house. Sportacus gave Robbie a gentle nudge in the ribs and a tentative grin.

"You see," Sportacus said, "they're your friends. You have nothing to worry about."

Robbie swatted the elbow away from his side with a minimal amount of energy. "Nothing," he said, "until I do something else that they don't like."

"Don't think like that, Robbie," Sportacus said. "You're doing a good job. One step at a time, remember?"

"I guess," Robbie said. They stopped at the tree house and Robbie looked at the ladder with distinct distaste. "I guess there's nowhere to go from here but up."

"You really don't have to stay up there," Sportacus tried one more time to persuade him. "You can come with me."

"Thanks," Robbie said, "but no thanks. I told you not to try to make me do that again."

"Then why not stay with one of the kids?" Sportacus asked.

"I just want to be alone," Robbie said, a hard edge entering his tone, "all right? Not everyone likes to be surrounded by noisy people day in and day out." His hands balled up into fists— then quickly released. He let out a weak sigh. "I'm tired," Robbie said more softly. "I wish I could go home."

"I'm sorry," Sportacus said.

"It's not like it's your fault," Robbie said. "You're not the one who forgot everything."

"No, but..." Sportacus couldn't find the words to say. He carefully patted Robbie on the shoulder and the man didn't slap him away this time. "I'll get those blankets for you."

"Thanks," Robbie said. He walked away from Sportacus and climbed the ladder.


	10. Chapter 10

Robbie was woken too early by a banging on the tree house hatch. He tried to sleep through it but the hatch swung open right under him and nearly dumped him straight out of the tree house. It was safer for him to climb down the ladder under his own power, if not any easier. Ziggy was so excited for them to get started he could barely wait for Robbie to slowly inch his way down one rung at a time. He didn't give the drowsy man any time to appreciate solid ground before he grabbed him by the hand and dragged him along to see Stephanie.

The mayor's house had the best equipped kitchen for their needs and Stephanie was even more chipper than Ziggy to get things cooking. The mayor himself offered to lend a hand, but after nearly nicking his fingers dicing fruit and flipping a pancake onto Robbie's head he was tactfully reassigned to phoning up the rest of their friends to come for breakfast. The house filled to bursting with everyone in attendance.

Between juicing oranges, serving up steaming hot plates, and keeping Milford from spilling cereal on Bessie's new dress, Robbie had his hands full and his ears ringing with all the conversation and clinking cutlery. By the time everyone had finished there was a mountain of dishes that wasn't just going to clean itself. Stephanie and Trixie meant to help Robbie with scrubbing all the plates but ended up distracted with blowing bubbles and flicking water at each other instead. They tried to get Robbie in on their game but the lanky man did not seem to appreciate getting sprayed in the face when his hands were already pruny and he was up to his elbows in the sink.

When at last everything was cleaned up and Robbie stepped outside of the mayor's house he let out a little sigh of relief...

"Oh, Robbie!" Ziggy came running to catch up with him. "Where are you going? We could really use you to make even teams for soccer!"

"Hey yeah!" Stephanie came skipping up behind the boy. "Come on, Robbie, after a big breakfast there's nothing more you'd like to do than play with us, is there?"

Robbie's mouth opened and closed a couple times like a fish, no words coming out. He gave up and nodded and the kids grabbed hold of him by either hand and led him to the sports field.

* * *

 The children ran up and down the field yelling and laughing as they kicked the ball back and forth while Robbie was parked in front of the net as goalie. Robbie stood at the ready for a while, then started to lean against the net when they never came dribbling down his way. His eyes kept wandering off of the field and around the surrounding neighborhood, scanning over the various stores and houses.

He sidled one step over at first, then another. In as idle a manner as possible Robbie inched his way towards the edge of the sports field, his eyes fixed on the gate. But before he could so much as clear the penalty area the kids suddenly started to shout at him.

"Robbie look out!"

Robbie turned his head just in time to see the soccer ball flying towards him. It beaned him right between the eyes, bouncing off his forehead and out of the field. He staggered and caught up against the goalie net once more while the world spun crazily and the kids rushed over to see him.

"Awesome header!" Trixie praised Robbie's sports prowess.

"Are you okay, Robbie?" Ziggy asked. Robbie tried to shake the stars out of his eyes and had to grab his head in both hands to stop the rattling.

"I'm done playing," Robbie managed to say. He took a careful step away from the net and only wobbled a little. "I have to go."

"Want us to come with you?" Stephanie asked, starting to follow him. But Robbie waved his hand back at the kids to keep them at bay while he felt gingerly at the growing bump on his head with the other.

"You stay here," Robbie said through his teeth, not quite a command.

"Okay," Stephanie said. "We'll just practice until you get back."

"Good idea," Trixie said. "I think my aim needs a little work."

The kids continued to discuss their strategy while Robbie hobbled off the field. As soon as he got through the gate he stumbled into a jog, or as close to one as he could manage, and didn't look back.

Not long after Robbie had left the premises Sportacus arrived in his stead, just finishing his morning run. He jumped up and over the gate, flipping two full rotations before landing on his feet and earning some cheers from the children.

"Hi guys!" Sportacus greeted them. "What are you up to?"

"We were playing soccer," Ziggy said, "but Robbie just left."

"Really? Is everything okay?" Sportacus asked.

"I'm sure he'll be back soon," Stephanie said. "But maybe you could play with us for now?"

"Yeah, can you show us how to head the ball?" Trixie asked. Sportacus grinned and lowered his goggles over his eyes.

"Sure, let's get started."

* * *

 Robbie half walked, half ran through LazyTown. He wasn't heading anywhere in particular. He was just trying to avoid as many people as possible, and all of their requests. But it was easier said than done.

"Oh Ronald!" Ms Busybody's loud voice pealed like a great big bell. "I've got some more chores around my house I could use a hand with!" Standing in her yard she flapped an exceedingly long scroll of paper over her head like a streamer, the list almost turning the paper completely black with how much ink covered it.

Eyes widening Robbie skidded on one heel as he made an abrupt about-face and strode in another direction, pretending not to have heard or seen the woman. Her squawking voice faded behind him and he started to breathe again—

"Hey Robbie!" Stingy and his little yellow car came putting down the street towards him. "Stephanie told us all about how you showed her how to waltz yesterday. Aren't you going to teach me how to do that tap dance?"

Robbie stammered something incomprehensible and cut across the closest front yard, upsetting a flower bed as he darted away from the fancy boy's front fender. He left the young driver parked by the curb and calling after him about the dance lessons while he skirted around the side of the house and plastered himself against the brick wall to catch his breath.

A window slid open over Robbie's head. Pixel poked his head outside and looked down at the skinny man.

"Oh, hiya Robbie," Pixel said. "Say, do you think you could help me clean out my room? I got a new computer I've got to set up and—"

"No," Robbie grimaced up at the techno kid above him, his voice tight in his chest. "No more!"

He pushed himself off from the wall and made a mad dash down the street. No matter where he went, though, Robbie had nowhere he could go. There was no getting away from people in need in such a small town.

In almost no time he was on the outskirts where the land hadn't been developed much beyond some kind of big billboard standing out in the middle of nothing. Robbie didn't take the time to contemplate what sort of advertisement a painting of a cow could be for. He could still hear Ms Busybody calling for a handyman and the chugging of Stingy's car. With barely any breath left in his lungs Robbie scuttled behind the sign, having nowhere left to run to.

He banged into a wall of machinery on the other side and jumped back, hopping on one foot as he massaged his shin. Robbie stared in pained confusion at the tall metal platform crouched behind the billboard, far more elaborate a support structure than seemed necessary. It looked to be some kind of array of generators topped with a miniature silo, all neatly hidden in the shadow of the sign.

Robbie set his foot back down, the pain quickly receding in favor of this strange discovery. He walked up the metal steps to stand on top of the platform and inspected the back of the billboard. Stranger still— there was a door in the middle of the sign that had been invisible from the front. What kind of door was this? It didn't even lead anywhere!

"I thought for sure I saw him going this way," Stingy's voice drifted behind the billboard towards Robbie. He stopped still in his investigations, every part of him straining to be silent as he listened. That little car was still chugging along and heading his way. "It's not fair for him to teach Stephanie a new dance and not ME!"

"Oh, I'm sure Bobbie will be happy to teach you later," Bessie's voice followed and raised the hairs on Robbie's neck. "Right after he does a few itty bitty things for me."

Robbie backed slowly away from the strange door until he bumped into the silo. He slid around the curving obstruction and found a short ladder nailed to its side. As his eyes trailed up he saw the roof of the silo was fixed on with hinges. A perplexed stitch formed in his brow and pulled his mouth into a gentle frown.

"Robbie!" Stingy shouted too close for comfort and making Robbie jump on the spot. "Where are you? Come back and teach me how to tap!"

The rungs of the ladder were close together and easy for Robbie to climb. He stood perched up there, his knees knocking only a tiny bit, and curled his fingers around the underside of the silo's roof. Robbie hefted and strained with all of his power. With a rewarding creak and groan the lid swung up and open.

Robbie wiped a dot of sweat from his forehead for his efforts while a small smile formed on his lips. He had no time to celebrate this victory however. Stingy and Bessie sounded closer than ever, keeping his heart beating just a little too fast for his liking. He swung one leg over and into the silo.

It was too dark to see the true dimensions of the thing in the shadow of the billboard. At least it looked big enough for him to crouch inside of, a place to lay low until those persistent townspeople had passed through. Pulling his other leg over the ladder Robbie sat on the lip of the silo for a moment, grinning a little more at his clever hiding place before making the short hop inside.

His feet didn't find the bottom. The air raced cold and fast up Robbie's legs, then his chest, and then his fully extended arms as he fell— Too fast for him to let out so much as a yelp of surprise.

It wasn't a silo. It was some sort of exhaust vent or tube, a shaft that plummeted straight down through the platform, down through the ground, down, down—!

* * *

 Stingy drove around the billboard in his car, glanced up at the painted cow, and shook his head. "Now where could he have gotten off to?" he wondered, and drove away still grumbling.

Ms Busybody patted at her hair, no small feat to keep her styled locks in place while chasing after a reluctant recruit for her chores. She gave up running in her heels and panted for a bit before pulling her cell phone out of her purse and rapidly dialing a number. It rang a couple times before the call was connected.

"Milford! So glad you answered, I need someone to mow my lawn for me. Do you think you could—? Oh, thank you! Go ahead and get started, I'll be right there."

* * *

 Sportacus was just about to execute a triple flip with a kick to end the soccer match, but his crystal abruptly flashed to life with a strong and urgent pulse. He stopped short and let the ball bounce away from him, his eyes transfixed on the blinding light.

"Someone's in trouble," Sportacus said. "I have to go."


	11. Chapter 11

Robbie could not see, hear, or do anything as he plunged into the earth, shuttled at an alarming speed down the treacherous chute. Everything streaked by black and blue around him and his ears were filled with the deafening rush of displaced air from his rapid descent. Even as he sensed the chute curving this way and that his momentum kept him going like a pinball in an arcade. He was helpless to stop it, twisting and turning, hurtling through the pipe until it all came to an abrupt end and he was spat out into open air. Robbie tumbled clear of the chute into a free fall and then—

_WHUMPF!_

Something unexpectedly big and soft caught him, skidding a few feet across the floor with the force of his landing. It took some time for Robbie's stomach to drop out of his throat and his heart to slow from an out of control jackhammer to merely a racing percussion. Only when his body had caught up with the rest of his senses that he was grounded again was he able to open his eyes and comprehend what it was he'd landed on.

A big furry recliner?

"What...?" the question crept out under Robbie's breath. What... just happened?

For a moment Robbie sat paralyzed, not daring to move from his seat. Surely someone had heard his rather inelegant arrival. The metal chute was only now just ceasing its resonating echo. It made his ears ring as he strained to listen, but there was nothing to hear. He was left in a suffocating silence.

There were just a few dim reserve lights on high overhead in the crossbeams that made up the ceiling, casting only the gloomiest illumination. All around Robbie were dark and looming shadows that could be hiding anything. He struggled up out of the recliner and groped around with mounting panic as he gathered that he had fallen into a very deep, very big place.

"Hello?" he tried calling, both wanting and not wanting anyone to answer him. But he was very much alone, and his voice was swallowed up in the cavernous chamber.

Everything was so cold, he wrapped his arms around himself in response to the chill. The floor was hard like concrete under his shoes and every step he took caused a sharp echo to bounce off all the metal. Immediately in front of him was some sort of large platform, an intimidating centerpiece amidst all the vaguely threatening shapes encroaching on every side. Robbie clambered up the steps and across the grating to find what had to be some kind of control panel taking up most of the floor space on the catwalk. Maybe he could turn on a few more lights this way?

There didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to how the buttons, dials, and knobs were arranged. It looked like even an electric keyboard had been riveted directly onto the console. Robbie threw caution to the wind and tried to get anything to happen, punching keys and flipping switches indiscriminately. His efforts were rewarded by the thrumming of generators kicking on and the clicking and blinking of more lights sputtering to life and casting the large space in even more daunting relief.

He wished it was dark again.

To call it an underground house would be generous. It made no sense, but there were full length windows along one of the far walls, looking more like terrible glaring faces with their warped frames and streaked over panes. There was nothing good to see through them either but the vague and discomforting emptiness of the surrounding cave in which the bunker was housed.

Besides the recliner, which Robbie now could see was an off-putting shade of orange, there was little else in the place that offered anything in the way of color or comfort. All surfaces were concrete and steel in hard metallic shades. There were no plants, no pictures on the walls. Heaps and piles of scrap metal lay everywhere, especially around a long workbench and the large table on which were scattered a variety of mallets, saws, and soldering equipment. It was a scene of destruction and invention, but the nature of those inventions could not be very good if the rest of the environment was anything to go by...

More machinery chugged and whirred alive right beside Robbie, nearly making him jump off the catwalk but for the ramp that caught him. Powerful beams like flood lamps flashed on in quick succession down the platform in a lineup. For each one of these spotlights an enormous glass tube was illuminated from the inside out. And inside of them...

Robbie clutched tight to the ramp as he stared in abject horror at the terrible _things_ inside those tubes. A menacing dinosaur with razor sharp teeth; a tremendously scary snow monster; a billowing and ghastly ghost— and on down the line, the strangest and most frightful visages he'd ever seen before... All but for what stood in the last tube down at the very end.

They were just mannequins wearing costumes, not real creatures. The understanding was not exactly reassuring but filled Robbie more with a dreadful curiosity than outright fear. Without realizing it he had crept closer, needing to look at what was in the last case. The dummy on display in there looked strangely... familiar. It was just about his height, it even had a wig styled like his hair. And its clothing...

It was dressed up in the exact same purple striped suit as he was!

Robbie backed away from the tubes and nearly toppled over the railing again. He caught himself and strode down the ramp in a hurry, looking around desperately for a clearly marked exit. But all he could see were horrible looking machines, cobbled together contraptions, harsh steel and sharp edges.

Everything was so grim down here, so dark and gritty and uninviting, nothing like the rest of the town overhead. Come to think of it, Sportacus' airship had been very different from LazyTown too, so advanced and polished and sleek, equipped to suit a hero's needs. But this place...?

Something rumbled and banged over Robbie's head, booming like thunder. He dove behind the recliner to take cover and waited to see what was coming next— or who.

* * *

 Sportacus flew out of the chute and landed on his feet. He looked around with plain concern at his surroundings.

"Robbie? Are you in here?" The elf's scanning eyes spied Robbie peeking out from behind the chair and a look of relief washed over his face. He moved towards him. "There you are, Robbie, thank goodness. I was looking everywhere, I was worried—..."

Sportacus paused before reaching him. He glanced around them and looked back at Robbie.

"Did you... just find this place?" Sportacus asked, a hint of caution in his voice.

"It was an accident," Robbie said. He straightened up from behind the recliner. "Sportacus, I think..."

Sportacus tensed ever so slightly, shifting his stance. Robbie too started to frown, his own face twitching like he was fighting a headache. He looked at Sportacus in a strange way.

"This is my home," Robbie said quietly, "isn't it."

"I think so," Sportacus confirmed just as quietly. "You... remember, then?"

Robbie's brow creased deeply and the frown pulled harder on the corners of his mouth, turning it into a grimace.

" _No_ ," he spat out, the word loaded with frustration for that question, always that question. "I almost remember remembering, but then I don't remember. I CAN'T. I just _can't_..."

"I'm sorry," was all Sportacus could say.

"I can't believe that I would live _here_ ," Robbie said, flinging an arm about themselves in a choppy and irritated fashion. "This isn't a home, it's a— a _lair_ , it's horrible and dark and cold and—"

Robbie's hands balled up into fists and he clenched his teeth so hard that the cords stood out in his neck.

"And everyone else lives in nice houses up there, and you've got your fancy airship— Everyone knows where _you_ live," Robbie growled, his voice rising with every word. "They never yell at _you_ or call _you_ names. You're LazyTown's super hero! Does that mean that I—..." The words caught in his throat, stanching the flow of his outburst. He tried to force it out. "I'm..."

His knuckles bulged white and his fists trembled, and the tremble ran all the way up his arms and made his shoulders hunch and shiver. Sportacus broke free of his own tension and strode around the armchair to attend to the shaking man.

"You," Sportacus said, "are my best friend." He slipped an arm lightly around Robbie's shoulders, ready to draw back at the slightest shrug or push should the comfort be rejected. "You don't have to be anything else, Robbie, that you don't want to be."

Robbie went rigid at the weight of Sportacus' arm, his breath halting with a strangled gasp. He turned towards the hero with his face screwed up and growing redder by the second. Sportacus retracted his reach and started to back off—

But Robbie didn't push him away. He flung his arms around Sportacus and pulled him into a hard hug.

Sportacus stood arrested by the ungraceful embrace. Automatically his arms came up and around Robbie, patting him on the back. A few full body shudders racked the taller man's frame and his breathing hitched over and over again, but he was otherwise silent.

They stood like that for who knew how long— seconds that stretched into minutes, minutes that felt like hours. Until finally Robbie was no longer shaking and he relaxed his grip, releasing Sportacus. Their eyes met before Robbie could look away. He saw in the hero's face no anger or disgust but simple acceptance and only a lingering quirk of concern.

Robbie's whole face was a bit more haggard for the exchange but his eyes were dry, if a little red. He shuffled around to the front of the recliner and sat down heavily in it. Sportacus paced around the chair and let the man be quiet. They both needed a moment.

"Do I have to stay down here by myself, now?" Robbie asked after a time, looking up at Sportacus. By the wavering line of his mouth and the deep furrow in his brow it was clear he didn't want to.

"No," Sportacus said, "of course not." He held out his hand to the villain. "Come on, let's get out of here."


	12. Chapter 12

Robbie did his best to be good. He danced with Stephanie and polished Stingy's car. He ate sportscandy with Ziggy, helped clean Pixel's room, and practiced soccer with Trixie. Robbie performed endless chores alongside Mayor Meanswell to clean up the town and made himself a fixture in the community. The kids could always count on Robbie to play if they asked him, and he was at Bessie's beck and call, and he even had his own vegetable box in the community garden now where he grew his carrots.

None of the townspeople knew that Robbie had found his old lair. The tree house had become his halfway house at the end of every evening and he was getting better at going up and down the ladder. It kept him close to everyone else and always ready to join in a game or do a favor.

But still, whenever he had the opportunity, when nobody was looking for him or expecting him to do anything, Robbie started slipping away to go for solitary walks— walks that invariably led him to the billboard on the edge of town, to the secret inside the silo. Something kept pulling him down that chute and back into that hidden place. A place where he could be alone, and quiet, and still. The more times Robbie went back down there, the more he found in the place that redeemed its first impression.

It turned out there was a lot down there to like. The recliner, for starters, was the most inviting feature of the place. It was so comfortable that Robbie could fall asleep in it despite the unsavory surroundings. He just couldn't nap for too long otherwise people would start to wonder where he'd gotten off to. Still he couldn't resist a little snooze whenever he sat down for long enough. The cushions seemed almost to be molded to his shape. He supposed that they were.

There were all those mannequins inside the tubes too, each one wearing a costume or outfit that begged to tell a story if only they could speak. Robbie's experimenting on the control center revealed just how many costumes there were in the arsenal as the tubes could rotate out one strange fashion after another. Pirate garb, a suit of armor, astronaut uniform, a sharp suit fit for a politician, dresses and animals and aliens, blue collar corduroys and rock star robes, all manner of masks and hats and wigs shuffled through the displays. All of it was perfectly tailored to Robbie's measurements too, no doubt.

The electric keyboard was still functional and Robbie found he could play a few simple tunes. There was a TV set fixed onto some sort of mechanical dolly that descended from the ceiling and played nothing but the shopping channel, which for some reason Robbie liked. The seemingly endless heaps of junk and bits of machines were less overwhelming and more intriguing with each successive visit. He found a purple softball that sputtered out garbled noises, boots that could walk by themselves, robotic bits and pieces, some strange combination of an umbrella and a fishing rod, and catapults and cannons that all turned the chamber into one big workshop.

Among all the homemade contraptions was perhaps the best invention of them all. Robbie hadn't been entirely sure what it was on first look, some kind of oversized microwave oven with far more dials and buttons than seemed necessary. Daring to twist a knob here and punch a key there made the machine grind and whistle and chug for a short time before it gave off a promising _ding_ and steam hissed out around the hinges of the door on its face. Riding on the back of that steam there was an odor that tickled Robbie's nose and pricked his mouth into watering...

Somehow, defying all logic, the machine made wholly formed sweet and chewy, frosted gooey slices of _cake_. With no kids down here to remind Robbie that he didn't eat candy the delectable morsel was devoured in seconds.

Robbie made another slice. And another. After the fourth slice he lay sprawled back and snoring on the recliner with the plate balanced on his belly and crumbs in the corners of his mouth, the TV set cycling between infomercials and static.

* * *

He would have stayed like that if not for the big metal speakers that suddenly dropped down from the ceiling. They jangled and jarred him awake with their booming broadcast.

"Ro-o-o-bbi-i-ie!"

"Robbie, where are you?"

Robbie flailed in his seat and scattered the plate and crumbs everywhere. He looked around for the people calling him before gazing up at the rusty old speakers, slow to comprehend. Whatever he was hearing, it was coming from topside. For all the gadgets and gewgaws down here there wasn't a working clock to be found and he had no idea how long he'd been sleeping. He hurried to get above ground before they could miss him any more.

It was the kids calling for him. They were looking all over, up in the tree house and over in the garden. Ziggy had gone so far as to crawl under the park benches and peer inside the mailbox. They'd even gotten Sportacus in on their search party, the elf springing up on walls to scan around from higher ground. Robbie tried not to look out of breath as he ran into the town square and made himself available leaning against the brick wall. No sooner had he done so the kids noticed him and ran over.

"There you are! Where were you, Robbie?" Stephanie asked.

"Oh, just around," Robbie said. Ziggy pointed up at him.

"Hey, is that frosting?" the little boy asked. Before the other children could inspect too close Robbie scrubbed the lingering crumbs of cake from his mouth.

"What, this? No, it's, ah— just a bit of toothpaste." While the kids seemed satisfied with this explanation Sportacus still looked at Robbie in a searching way. Robbie avoided eye contact even though it was useless. Without having to ask, Sportacus knew where he'd been. The silent stare made Robbie fidget in place until he clapped his hands together for the kids. "Anyway, you've found me now, so let's go!"

It didn't matter what they had him do, just so long as it kept Robbie busy and away from the billboard. And the townspeople had no trouble keeping Robbie busy. There were sports to play, gardens to tend to, fences to mend, and all manner of other chores to take care of. There was no end to it.

It was all very tiring for Robbie. To always be nice, to wear a perky smile no matter how it made his face hurt, to be friends with everyone in town no matter how demanding they were on his time and energy. To be good, when everything down in that lair made it so easy to be bad.

* * *

That evening Robbie was slow going up the ladder to the tree house. His stomach still felt heavy from all the cake he'd gorged himself on, followed by a hearty meal of sportscandy he'd had to eat with the kids so as not to raise any questions about his sparse appetite. It had made playing basketball afterwards even harder than usual and he'd excused himself from the game before the first half was finished.

He was having a hard time getting the hatch to open. Robbie struggled to stay balanced on the ladder with only one hand to brace himself while he banged on the stuck door with the other. He growled a little with mounting frustration. The longer he stayed out in the open the more likely one of the kids would come by to ask for a final game of the day, or Bessie would want him to take care of just one more thing around her yard for the evening, or—

"Hi, Robbie. Do you need some help?"

Robbie peered over his shoulder down the ladder at the speaker. Sportacus stood below him. He relaxed a fraction to see the elf over any of the other townspeople, but not enough to abandon all caution.

"The door's stuck," Robbie said.

"Let me try," Sportacus said. Robbie didn't see much reason to refuse. He was only a little reluctant to climb back down after all that work. Sportacus went up in his stead and with a few powerful strikes had the hatch swinging open in no time. He pulled himself up inside the tree house and popped his head back out with one arm extended in offer to Robbie.

It was easier getting up there with Sportacus lending a hand, but the tree house was not built to accommodate two grown men. Even once Robbie was safely inside Sportacus seemed in no hurry to leave, however. In such a confined space Robbie had nowhere else to look but at him.

"Shouldn't you be getting to your airship?" Robbie tried prompting Sportacus with the suggestion. "I was just going to bed."

"It's not eight o' eight yet," Sportacus said. He tilted his head. "It's pretty early for you to be tired. Are you feeling okay?"

"Why shouldn't I?" Robbie asked. "There's nothing wrong with turning in early, is there?"

"No," Sportacus said, "unless maybe you had too much frosting earlier and that's why you aren't feeling well." He grinned. "Or was it toothpaste?"

"I didn't get sick from eating frosting," Robbie denied, but the heat in his face betrayed him. He crossed his arms and hunched in the small space available to him. "What's so wrong with having a piece of cake anyway?"

"There's nothing wrong with it, really," Sportacus said. "But why try to hide it?"

"Because," Robbie said, "those kids lose their minds when I so much as lick a lollipop! And you don't eat candy either. I'm just tired of all the lectures..."

"I won't lecture you," Sportacus said. "But I do think sportscandy tastes better and is better for you than any cake. If you eat fruit instead of candy you could have enough energy to finish the basketball game with the kids next time. Wouldn't you like that?"

Robbie growled. "That figures. I find a machine that _makes cake_ and I'm not supposed to use it."

"Well," Sportacus said, trying to maintain some levity in his tone to offset Robbie's souring mood, "maybe you can find a machine that makes something healthy instead. I could help you look."

"Don't bother," Robbie said. "You don't really want to visit my home again anyway."

"Why do you say that?" Sportacus asked. "I thought you wanted me to visit you once."

"That was before I found it," Robbie said, narrowing his eyes at Sportacus. "I don't think you'd like anything down there. Nobody would."

"But you like it," Sportacus proposed, "don't you?"

Robbie's face pinched and darkened. "It's easy for you to like your home," Robbie said, his tone heavy like a storm cloud. "It's full of good things that make you happy, all your fruits and vegetables and sports equipment. But all the things in my home," he started to say, then paused. "They don't make anyone happy," he finished flatly.

"Robbie," Sportacus said, his tone softening. "Are you... unhappy?"

The question was like a slap in the face, wiping Robbie's expression blank. But only for a moment. "What reason do I have to be unhappy?" he scoffed. "I've got it all, haven't I? All the vegetables I can stand to eat, more friends than I know what to do with— and plenty of fresh air, now that I live in a TREE!" he snapped, then quieted. "Doesn't that sound like everything you could ever want?"

Sportacus remained silent for a moment, his brow wrinkled as he studied Robbie's face. "What do you want, Robbie?" he asked.

"What... do you mean?" Robbie asked.

"Eating healthy and having lots of friends to play with," Sportacus said, "make a lot of people happy. Is there something else you want instead that would make you happy?"

"I—" Robbie's face twisted around the question, confusion dominating his features. His gaze tried to slip off of Sportacus but the only other thing to look at was the bare wall of the tree house and the elf's eyes just pulled him back. "How am I supposed to know that? All I know is what you and those kids tell me, and it gets confusing when you find something else that doesn't make sense. I can't exactly remember what's right, now can I? Maybe that's all I want; I just want my memory back."

Something dimmed in Sportacus' expression. He gave a faint nod and looked down at the hatch. "Sorry to have kept you up," Sportacus said. "Sleep well, Robbie."

Robbie watched as Sportacus opened the hatch and lowered himself back down. He worried his lip in his teeth while the hero descended the ladder. "Sportacus," he blurted out and looked down through the open hatch. Sportacus had just reached the base of the tree and he paused to look up at Robbie. "Did I do something wrong again?"

It took a second for the question to work through Sportacus' head before the man put on a smile. "No, Robbie," he said, "it isn't anything you did. I think I just might turn in early too..."

"Okay," Robbie said, still keeping an eye on him. "Good night...?"

Sportacus waved up at him. As he lowered his arm Robbie caught the smile falling from the hero's face along with it before he walked away.


	13. Chapter 13

Robbie couldn't fall asleep. The image of Sportacus' face kept floating up in his mind, how his smile had fallen just before he left. The look on his face had been there for only a second but Robbie had seen it. A look of doubt, or worse, disappointment. Robbie couldn't recall a time he'd ever seen the man look like that before.

Sportacus had assured Robbie that he'd done nothing wrong. So why did he feel like he had?

The questions Sportacus asked him had caught him off guard. They were questions he hadn't even asked of himself before. But with one stilted conversation Robbie had the answers whether he wanted them or not. He just didn't understand why.

Why wasn't he happy with things how they were now? All the evidence in his lair pointed to a past that was lonely and wretched. With the loss of his memory he'd gained so much more in return, a vibrant life full of food and fun and friends. He had a best friend, maybe even _the_ best friend. After all, who wouldn't want their best friend to be a super hero?

But then why would Sportacus want his best friend to be… him?

Robbie rolled one way and turned another, bundled up in the sheets and blankets that made up his makeshift bed— sheets and blankets that Sportacus had donated to him. The tree house creaked with his movement and he could feel it sway gently in the branches. It almost felt like the time he'd stayed in the airship, and the ship had rocked a little even while anchored. The sensation only disturbed him more.

Robbie opened the hatch and climbed down the ladder in the dark. As hot as it got during the summer days the nights were brisk and he shivered when he reached the ground. He rubbed his arms and walked out of the park. There was only one place he could of think where he could go. It was colder down there but it had a big furry recliner with his name on it.

* * *

Robbie didn't really expect that he would be able to sleep down in the lair. But come the next morning he was surprised to find that he had, a deep and dreamless sleep. When he awoke he had no sense of time. Without any clocks or windows letting in natural sunlight it was impossible for him to guess how long he'd slept.

He knew he ought to get back above ground before he was missed. But the truth was he didn't really want to. He took his time getting out of the recliner and pottered around, getting an early start on his most recent pastime of exploring the bunker.

It was in this way that Robbie discovered he had a periscope. Or it may have been more accurate to say the periscope found him.

He was just standing at the control console on the catwalk trying to figure out how to get the silky looking pajamas out of one of the disguise tubes when all of a sudden something big and heavy crashed down on his head with a clang. It took him a minute to regain his senses and a few seconds more to determine that the roof wasn't caving in. In fact Robbie could see there were lots of things suspended up in the crossbeams besides the speakers and the TV set, things like chalk boards and signs and all sorts of strange devices, all of them likely designed to fall down on top of him at the slightest provocation too. But that didn't matter right now. Now he had a periscope.

And it was no ordinary periscope.

The instrument had to be incredibly long for it to extend all the way down into the bunker where he could operate it. To peer into the view port and suddenly see the bright glare of morning while deep underground was almost enough to blind Robbie.

It wasn't only the sun glare, proof that he had slept all night, that had him shocked. It was the fact that, somehow, much like a lot of the other bizarre machines down in this lair, the periscope defied all logic and reason and was showing Robbie a view of the opposite side of LazyTown. He had a clear view of the town hall as though he were standing right in front of it.

Robbie pushed the periscope up above his head, rubbed his eyes, then pulled it back down. When he looked into it again the location had changed and he stared through the lens at the community garden. He leaned in closer, wanting to see more. The playground. The town square. Lazy Park. Robbie could see everything everywhere in LazyTown through this incredible instrument.

Robbie's roving eyes stumbled across some of the kids on the sports field. They appeared so close to the viewer that Robbie jumped back from the lens. Gingerly he went back to take a second look. The view hadn't changed, still holding on the children. They were tossing a football back and forth to each other. And when one of them spoke, Robbie was shocked to discover that he could hear what they were saying. Not through the big metal speakers tucked away and dormant up in the ceiling, but through the periscope itself, slightly muffled and tinny like a radio.

Ziggy was looking around everywhere but at the football and didn't even try to catch it as it whizzed over his head. "Where is he? The morning's almost over, he's usually come down by now."

"Do you think he's still at home?" Stephanie asked as she retrieved the ball. "He was acting a little funny last night, maybe he caught a cold."

It didn't seem like the kids had noticed the periscope popping up in their midst. Robbie kept still as he watched and listened to them, not wanting to do anything that might give himself away. It would be hard to explain to them what he was doing if they realized he was spying— but it wasn't like he was spying on purpose, now was he? He couldn't help it if he was curious as to their conversation.

"Maybe we should go see if he's okay?" Ziggy asked.

"How are we supposed to do that?" Trixie scoffed. "It's not like we can just go knock on his door, unless you're going to grow a pair of wings and fly up there?"

Robbie stiffened, his face still glued to the periscope. Were they talking about Sportacus?

"We can write him a letter," Stephanie said, and left the game of catch to fetch her purse from the edge of the field. The other kids left the football behind them to go join the pink girl as she ripped a page out of her diary and uncapped her pen. She only took a moment to scribble a quick note before rolling it up. "Come on guys, let's send it right away!"

All together they ran out of the sports field and Robbie lurched into the view port in his eagerness to follow along with them. It only made the periscope swing up and around and he almost went head over heels off the catwalk if not for his iron grip on the handles of the viewer. Feeling an odd weight settle in his stomach Robbie yanked the periscope back into position and panned rapidly across town to see where the children had gone to.

He found them near the town center now, swarming around the mailbox. It wasn't the mailbox they were interested in, though. Stephanie pulled a familiar looking metal canister out and slipped her letter inside before inserting the capsule into a large chute affixed to the ground beside the normal mail receptacle. She grabbed hold of the lever coming off of it next and gave it one big tug.

There was a crisp _phwoomf_ and Robbie only had time to see the blur of that mail capsule shooting straight up into the air like a bottle rocket. The kids shielded their eyes as they followed the letter's trajectory. Robbie couldn't get the periscope to tilt at that extreme of an angle no matter how much he pulled and heaved on it. Still he suspected he knew where it was going.

Minutes passed while they waited. Stephanie leaned back against the mailbox and crossed her arms. Trixie kicked a few rocks across the street and Ziggy pulled a lollipop out of his pocket, upon which he gave a few anxious nibbles. And Robbie stood at his periscope down in his lair, waiting with them.

A shadow fell over the children and they looked back up, their expressions brightening in the shade. The airship had arrived, coming to a pause right over the mailbox. The spindly rope ladder unfurled next and within moments a bright blue suited man jumped down to land among the kids.

"Hi, guys," Sportacus said. "Did you need something?"

None of the children replied. They were too surprised, all looking up at Sportacus as he was. Robbie felt the weight in his stomach constrict as he too saw the hero.

The man's eyes drooped with the hint of bags under them. He lacked his usual smile upon greeting the kids. Even his mustache appeared to wilt. His posture too was off, his shoulders slightly slack instead of squared proudly, his arms hanging loose instead of propped up akimbo in his more engaging pose. It was so unlike him to look so unpolished, and he didn't seem to realize it as he looked from one child to the other.

Stephanie was the one who broke the unintended silence. "We were just worried when we didn't see you all morning. Where have you been?"

Sportacus blinked his eyes a few times, unable to dispel the shadows under them, and gazed around himself. He scratched his head. "Sorry guys, I was just in the airship. I didn't realize it was this late already."

"Were you sleeping in?" Ziggy asked with open disbelief. Sportacus always rose early to do his morning exercise routine.

"No," Sportacus said, "I guess I got distracted trying to figure something out."

"Figure what out?" Stephanie asked. Again Sportacus lagged behind in his response while the question hanged there. He shook his head.

"Have any of you seen Robbie today?" he asked.

"Robbie?" The kids blanked at the inquiry. "He's not here either."

Sportacus' eyebrows drew together. "I see. Well, if you do, try to be extra nice to him, will you?" The request earned curious looks all around.

"Is he okay?" Stephanie asked. "Is he sick or something?"

"He… wasn't feeling very good yesterday," Sportacus said. "I might have upset him, and… I don't know if I can help him feel better this time."

The kids looked at each other as they grappled with the idea that their slightly above average hero could be the cause of someone's troubles rather than the solution.

"Did you and Robbie fight?" Trixie asked.

"No," Sportacus said. "At least, I don't think so..."

"Maybe we can help," Stephanie said, gesturing around. "Why don't we throw him a surprise party? Everyone likes surprises."

"Good idea, Pinkie," Trixie said. "Maybe a little scare will get Robbie's head right!"

"Can we have games at the party?" Ziggy asked. "And cookies?"

"And music," Stephanie said, "and we'll make sure everyone is there to cheer him up!"

The other kids chimed in their support, already getting excited. Sportacus nodded now and then while the kids started planning the festivities but he didn't speak anymore. His eyes drifted off from them, going somewhere far away. That was, until he noticed the periscope.

A flash of surprise crossed Sportacus' face, his eyes widening. Robbie felt a jolt as though their eyes were actually meeting, although it was impossible. He jerked the periscope up out of the way and ducked down, his heart pounding at being caught. But Sportacus couldn't possibly know it was him, could he? How could Sportacus possibly think it was anyone _but_ him?

Fighting against a cringe Robbie inched the periscope back down until he could peer into it. To his relief he saw the kids were leaving. Sportacus lingered a moment longer, his wandering gaze searching around, but the periscope was nowhere near so exposed this time and he couldn't see it. The blue suited man let out a sigh and climbed the ladder back up to his airship.

Robbie pushed the periscope back up. His stomach had turned into one big knot, a confusing tangle. There was something touching in the kids' eagerness to throw a party in his honor. At the same time there already swelled a sense of dread at the prospect of a noisy celebration with everyone expecting him to smile and wave, play games, and be grateful.

The party wasn't really what had him feeling queasy. It was seeing Sportacus, his face so similar to how he'd looked when he departed the previous evening. The way he'd tiptoed around the kids with his explanations made him seem so timid and unsure, not at all like the hero he was supposed to be. Robbie may not have been entirely happy with things how they were, but that didn't mean he'd wanted Sportacus to be unhappy too. If anything it just made him feel worse.

He could just stay where he was. The kids wouldn't be able to find him down in the lair, and they wouldn't be able to throw him the party. The party could be for Sportacus instead, maybe. It seemed like the blue man needed it more than he did.

No. Robbie set his jaw and made himself stand up straight. He was supposed to be Sportacus' best friend. And how he had shown that so far? He refused to let the man see his home again, wouldn't share any of the things that he'd found for himself, and denied any happiness to either of them. No more. He needed to figure out how to make this right.

He would find something down here that would make both of them happy.


	14. Chapter 14

This was shaping up to be a fool's errand.

When Robbie had told Sportacus that he wouldn't like anything down in the lair, he'd been partly saying it out of spite, a venting of his frustrations more than an earnest statement. It turned out the other part was unfortunately the truth.

He'd already learned the hard way that Sportacus wasn't all that interested in disguises. At least, not when they were disguises of him. But Robbie wasn't going to risk going down that avenue again. The costumes all lined up inside the big glass tubes were out of the question.

The TV set? Sportacus only ever showed interest in playing sports, running around, and exercising. Robbie didn't think the elf could sit still long enough to get through one infomercial. And judging from the minimalist aesthetic of the airship, he didn't do much shopping anyway.

What about the catapult or the cannon? They might be good for something. But even if Sportacus had any interest in them, Robbie had no idea how to get either one of them above ground. Come to think of it, he had no idea how they'd gotten _below_ ground. Well, never mind. It was a moot point.

All the junk, the broken bits and bobs of machinery, the heavy duty power tools and hammers and building equipment, none of that seemed right either. What about this music box? No, Sportacus didn't seem like the type to be entertained by a plastic ballerina. Those boots that jumped by themselves? Why bother, when Sportacus jumped plenty enough on his own. The cake machine? That was what started this whole mess…

Robbie went back and forth all over the lair looking for anything that could possibly be suited to both of them. For as long as he searched he wasn't able to turn up anything. Everything in the place seemed designed to help a lazy person be even lazier, or had some other more nefarious purpose that Robbie couldn't begin to surmise and frankly didn't want to.

Then he found it.

"The Candy Faker Maker 3000?"

It was a strange blue contraption almost shaped like a jackhammer but with a large funnel on the top, gauges, and a turning crank. Tied to the crank with a bit of string was a small card with cramped handwriting scrawled on it providing some simple instructions. Robbie had to hold the card close to his face to read it.

"Turns candy into healthy stuff in one second…" Hadn't Sportacus suggested that Robbie find a machine that could make something healthy? It was almost too good to be true. He determined to test it out and see for himself.

"Candy in," he directed himself, drawing from a box of old-looking but probably still serviceable taffies. He carefully placed each piece of candy into the open chute. "One, two..." He paused, considering the armful of candy he held, shrugged, and shoved it all in. "Oh, why not." With a chuckle he pounded his fist into the confections to get them into the machine.

With a grunt he hefted the machine upright and braced it against his chest as he turned the crank. It only took a few turns before the device buzzed at him to alert him it was ready to be set back down. Eagerly Robbie flipped open the hatch on the bottom to inspect the results.

It produced a generously plump, deliciously shiny apple. Robbie gasped in admiration of his creation as he took it out and turned it over reverently in his hands. That flawless round shape, that appetizing red skin. It was the epitome of apples everywhere. It was…

" _Perfect!_ "

* * *

Even though Robbie was expecting it and waiting for it, the sound of knocking on the silo door made him spring out of his recliner as though he'd been stuck with a pin. It sounded like thunder rumbling down the chute all the way into the lair. His heartbeat which had quickened at the noise only sped up more as he scrambled to answer the call.

The hatch squeaked and squealed as Robbie struggled to push it open from the inside. His arms trembled so much it almost fell shut again on top of his head. But Sportacus caught the rim of the metal lid and helped to swing it open.

"Thanks," Robbie said, trying not to pant too hard after scuttling up the chute and getting it open in such quick succession. Sportacus nodded and they both glanced around, taking in the midday sun over their heads, the quiet and empty grounds around the billboard, and anywhere else besides each other.

Sportacus cleared his throat then and put on a grin. "I got your letter," he said. "Did the kids show you how to use the mail tube?"

"In a way," Robbie muttered, and forced a grin back at him. He brushed at a thread of sweat drawing a line down his temple. "That's okay, right?"

"Of course," Sportacus said. "Your letter said you wanted to show me something?"

"Right," Robbie mumbled. His mouth felt dry and he couldn't swallow. "Well then, would you… like to come in?"

Sportacus made no effort to hide his surprise as his eyes widened, followed closely by the pleasure that softened his expression and made his mustache tweak. "That would be great," he said. Robbie ducked his head down but could still feel the hero's eyes on him and it made the hair stand up on the back of his neck.

"Let's go, then," he said, more to himself than Sportacus, pinched his nose, and jumped back down the chute.

* * *

"So," Robbie said, rubbing his hands together to get a little warmth back in them. His nerves made his fingers icy and bloodless. He opened his arms in a weak display. "Welcome. To my home."

Robbie couldn't control the tremor that ran through his limbs to have Sportacus in his lair again. He hadn't shaken like this since the time he'd ridden the platform way up on the airship. Looking back now Robbie thought facing those staggering heights was easier than this.

The last time the hero had been down here he hadn't paid much attention to his surroundings, more intent on finding Robbie. This time Sportacus had all the time in the world to take a closer look. Robbie had done nothing to try to hide the menacing machines, the mountains of scrap metal and discarded tools, all the odd inventions, the concrete floors and steel girders. He just stood stiffly, wringing his hands, while he watched Sportacus get the lay of the lair… And after taking in all that there was to see, Sportacus looked back at Robbie and smiled.

"Thank you," Sportacus said, "for inviting me down. After last night I didn't think you wanted me to come here again, but… I think it's great, that you have your home back."

"Sportacus," Robbie said, fighting against a stammer, "I needed to— to tell you," he squeezed his hands together so tight that it hurt and he shook them out. Why was this so hard? "What I said before… About what I wanted..."

Sportacus had begun to look concerned for the way Robbie choked on his own words. But at that mention there was a flicker across the elf's face, something that made him glance away from Robbie.

"I understand," Sportacus said. "At least, I really want to. I wish I could help you, Robbie. If there was anything I could do for you—"

"But there is," Robbie blurted out. Sportacus blinked back into focusing on the tall man in the stripy suit.

"What is it?" Sportacus asked.

Robbie took in a slow, careful breath that shuddered through his lungs. "I might not remember who I was, but… Maybe that doesn't matter so much anymore. I know who I want to be." He looked at Sportacus head on. "I just want to be your friend, Sportacus. None of this has been easy. But you've always been there for me, even when I've— well, not been a very good friend to you. So, if you could keep being my friend, I think..." His eyes flicked away in a furtive dart. "That will make me happy."

The sweat was prickling across his scalp in full force now. He felt like a match stick, his entire body on fire with his face taking the brunt of the heat. Sportacus reached out to him and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, Robbie," Sportacus said, not continuing until Robbie finally met his eyes again. "That's all I want, too."

Robbie didn't move or say anything else for a moment, locked in place by Sportacus' steady gaze, the comforting weight of his hand, and his easy smile. The fire razing through his body calmed itself to a pleasant glow. It made his fingers tingle with the warmth and tickled the corners of his mouth until he grinned.

"You," Robbie said, "are a real Sporta-Pal."

Sportacus chuckled. He gave Robbie's shoulder a squeeze and let him go. "That's what friends are for. Speaking of which, there's something the kids wanted to do for you."

"Wait," Robbie said, "I still have something else I wanted to show you, too."

"Really?" Sportacus asked. Robbie strode across the room to the workbench and rooted around among the gizmos and gadgets.

"I just wanted to thank you somehow, and..."

He found it and turned back around.

"And— I want you to have this," Robbie said, walking back over and holding out his offering.

"Wow," Sportacus said, his eyebrows rising, "that's got to be the biggest, shiniest apple I've ever seen!"

"I made it myself," Robbie proclaimed. The statement gave Sportacus pause, halting his hand as he reached to take the fruit. Seeing the mustachioed man's hesitation Robbie said a little more modestly, "I made it for you."

"For me?" One eyebrow arched higher as Sportacus looked between the apple and Robbie's face, searching him with his eyes.

"For both of us," Robbie said. "Do you remember what you said, about finding a machine that can make something good?" Sportacus nodded and Robbie gave the apple a slight shake as he sang, "Well, TA-DA! This is one sportscandy that I guarantee will be the sweetest you have ever tasted. I wanted to share this with you, to say thank you, you know, for… everything."

Sportacus looked at Robbie a few seconds longer, his expression indecipherable until he found a small smile. He took the apple.

"Thank you, Robbie. That's very thoughtful of you." He turned the apple over a few times before shrugging and taking a bite. The hero nodded and smiled some more around his mouthful. "It's good!" Robbie nodded along with him as a grin spread across his face.

"You might even say it's a little less sports, a little more candy," Robbie said with a playful lilt.

Sportacus' chewing slowed, then stopped. The man did nothing for a moment, his entire body seeming to draw in on itself as he went stock-still. His gaze drifted up to look at Robbie, the fine muscles in his face shifting at a crawl.

"Robbie," Sportacus murmured, "this is...?"

The elf couldn't finish his sentence before his eyes rolled back into his head and his body went limp. The apple slipped out of his hand as he collapsed. Robbie lurched forward and managed to catch the other man before his head hit the floor. Sportacus groped blindly at the support and hooked his fingers in Robbie's vest, clinging on with a sudden weakness that had Robbie wide-eyed.

"Sportacus?" Robbie leaned over the slumping man. "What's happening?"

"S-sugar..." Sportacus struggled to mumble through his lips. "M-melt… down..."

The crystal on Sportacus' chest throbbed to life but it was unlike any other time that Robbie had witnessed. This was not the familiar high pitched beeping and bright white pulse that normally alerted the hero to someone in trouble. The tone was discordant to the ears, abnormally slow and laborious like a wounded thing. And the nature of the light that emanated forth… It radiated a dangerous, dark red.

Robbie stared into the crystal, hypnotized by the distressing clamor and color. It was easy to understand what it was saying: Sportacus was in trouble.

And Robbie realized he had seen it like this, had heard it like this before. He'd done something like this many times before, actually, he remembered…

He remembered…

Everything.

* * *

"Sporta-dope," Robbie said softly, clasping his hands over Sportacus'. He tugged the man's fingers out of his vest and released him, letting Sportacus' arms drop limp at his sides. "How many times will you keep falling for this?"

Sportacus lay crumpled on the floor, barely able to do so much as lift his head. He squinted up towards Robbie, his eyes unable to focus any longer. The hero's complexion had quickly waxed and paled, a few beads of perspiration dotting his temples as the sugar meltdown sapped him of all his energy.

Robbie rose smoothly without the weight of the other man hampering his movement. He brushed a couple wrinkles out of his vest, straightened his cuffs, and stepped over Sportacus' prone body, heading towards the exit. Sportacus' head lolled to one side in a feverish twitch.

"Robbie," Sportacus struggled to form the syllables, his voice cottony and faint, a futile plea. Still it caught Robbie's attention and made the tall man hesitate and turn back around. Robbie returned to Sportacus, leaned down by his side…

…and picked up the discarded sugar apple. He buffed it clean on his arm, took a bite, and left.


	15. Chapter 15

The town hall bustled with activity as everyone worked to prepare the large space for their party. It had taken them the better part of the afternoon to put it together. Pixel and the mayor hung up the decorations, Ms Busybody provided the desserts with Ziggy serving as the taste-tester, and Stephanie and Trixie handled the games. As for Stingy, he "supervised" them all from the comfort of the mayor's high back office chair and kept track of the to-do list.

"This is going to be so much fun!" Ziggy was already bouncing around from all the sweets he'd been sampling.

"I can't wait to start the games," Stephanie said.

Stingy checked off item after item from his list, nodding along with everyone's excited chatter. "Yes, my party is coming along just perfectly," he said.

"It's not YOUR party, Stingy," Trixie corrected him, "it's all of ours."

"Well, it's MY list," Stingy ruffled his sheaf of paper, and Trixie shook her head.

Ownership aside the party was looking to be their best one yet. They just needed one more thing.

The big front door swung open before anyone realized it. All heads turned towards the entrance. Robbie stood in the doorway staring back at them. For a moment they all remained frozen like so many deer in the headlights. Smiles and laughs broke out across the townspeople then and they sang out in a loud chorus.

"SURPRISE!"

The kids cheered and the mayor clapped his hands while Ms Busybody brought forth a multi-tiered cake bigger than her own head. It was generously layered in pink and white frosting and embellished with all sorts of candies from gumdrops to lollipops. Robbie didn't move from the open doorway, his stony expression unfazed by the outpouring of goodwill.

"What is this noisiness?" Robbie spoke in a hard, flat tone.

"It's a surprise party!" Mayor Meanswell declared, waving his hands. "Well, maybe not so much a surprise," he reconsidered as he met Robbie's impassive stare.

"You're _early_ ," Stingy complained, crumpling up his to-do list.

"But it's still a party!" Ziggy said.

"Yeah, and it's all for you!" Stephanie said.

"What about me?" Stingy grumbled, but Trixie and Pixel shushed him.

"A party for me," Robbie said, "is that what you think." His frown didn't waver as he made a cursory glance at the streamers strung along the windows, the balloons bobbing against the ceiling, and the expectant faces of all the townspeople. "I think not."

"Aw, don't be like that," Trixie said. "Don't you want to play some party games?"

"Yeah, and sing some party songs?" Pixel asked.

"And get some party favors!" Ziggy said.

"Yes, come now, Ruben," Ms Busybody said with an indulgent giggle, "you simply must have some of this beautiful cake that I made!"

Something twitched across Robbie's face, a vein throbbing in his temple.

"My name," Robbie grated, his voice rising to a shout, "is _Robbie_. ROTTEN!"

Bessie's tittering stopped, her eyes wide at the outburst. Behind them the children fell silent as well. The sudden cessation of festive exclamations plunged the room into an atmosphere heavy and prickly like an impending lightning strike. Nobody could move or speak in that moment, riveted by the dark and stormy expression on Robbie's face, his eyes burning into Bessie's. The skinny man took hold of the cake dish and yanked it out of the woman's hands.

"I don't want your icky cake," Robbie growled, "and I don't want your miserable party." He aimed his fiery glare at each of the kids in turn, raising the large platter over his head. "This is your idea of fun, is it? You think you can get away with this? Well," he barked, "you're WRONG!"

They realized the weight of his words just as he hurled the cake to the floor. Ms Busybody screamed as her plate shattered and the cake exploded on her in a colorful cloud. The mayor and the children gasped and cried out in accompaniment to the woman's lead vocals, shielding themselves from the sugary shrapnel.

"FUN'S OVER!" Robbie shouted over the shock and dismay. He dashed out of the building, slamming the door behind him in a thunderous clap.

"Oh… Oh, my," Mayor Meanswell sputtered through a glob of frosting that had splattered across his face. "Maybe some people don't like surprises."

"My hair! My dress! My cake!" Bessie howled and sobbed. Her hands flew all around, up to her bedraggled beehive hairdo and down to her ruined dress, flapping at the broken pieces of china and chunks of cake strewn across the floor. "What in the _world_ is going on?!"

"He's back," Stingy mumbled.

"System restore," Pixel agreed with a somber nod. The kids all exchanged the same sorry looks between themselves.

"We have to go after him," Stephanie said. "Uncle, will you and Bessie be okay here?"

"Good idea, Stephanie," Milford said. He half stumbled, half slid across the frosted floor to grab the broom and dustpan. "I'll clean up here, you kids go on."

The kids piled out of the town hall and burst onto the street looking every which way for Robbie. The surly man had gotten quicker from all the exercise he'd gotten the past few weeks and was already well down the block. Pushing and pulling each other the children followed in the wake of his warpath.

* * *

"Robbie, wait!" Stephanie shouted. Robbie did so, coming to a stop in the town square where Stephanie's pink stereo sat on the stone wall. The man turned back to face the kids and they stumbled to a halt under the full force of his terrible look.

"You made me dance," Robbie hissed. He seized the stereo and gripped it with white-knuckled fists. Stephanie's face paled and she raised her hands but in that same instant Robbie was already dashing the boombox to the ground.

The plastic molding cracked and splintered and one of the speakers popped out of its casing in a clatter. Kicking away the dislodged tape deck Robbie marched out of the square. Stephanie let out a broken cry and rushed forward not to chase Robbie but to pick up the pieces of her property.

"I can't believe it!" Trixie shook her fist after Robbie. "Of all the mean and nasty things to do!"

"We need help," Pixel said, "and fast."

"I know! Let's get Sportacus!" Ziggy hopped around the kids. "Come on, Stephanie, we'll send him another letter!"

Stephanie gave up piecing the stereo back together and stood up shakily. She rubbed at her eyes and set her chin. "Okay," the pink girl said, "let's go."

"We'll keep an eye on Robbie," Trixie promised, and ran after the angry man one way while Stephanie went the other.

"Where's he going?" Stingy asked between pants for breath as the kids followed Robbie. The man wasn't running away from them per se but his long legs carried him at an astonishing clip as he strode forth with determination, a highly focused and furious look on his face. The tension in the tall man's frame, his tightly balled fists swinging side to side like wrecking balls, and the sharp stomp of his shoes all were warning enough for the kids not to get too close.

"Hey Robbie, can't we talk about this?" Pixel tried calling to the man. But Robbie was muttering so many dark things that the boy's request didn't even reach him, falling on deaf ears.

They came upon Ms Busybody's house where Robbie suddenly stopped, rooted to the sidewalk. It gave the kids a chance to catch up with him but they stopped too, giving him a sizable berth as he glowered at the big red house.

"I did your _chores_ ," Robbie seethed. He kicked and punched at Ms Busybody's fence, knocking out one board after the other like loose teeth until there was a sizable gap which he could pass through into her yard. Approaching the clothesline the vengeful villain ripped down all the clean sheets hanging there and threw them to the ground, making the children gasp.

"Not Ms Busybody's sheets!" Pixel scrambled to recover the soiled laundry before it could be trampled any further. Robbie tore through the flower bed and crashed through the hedge as he blazed a trail out of the yard without so much as a parting look at the destruction he had wrought.

"So much for talking," Trixie groaned.

Stephanie and Ziggy came running back and quickly joined their friends in trying to put Ms Busybody's yard back together, but they could only do so much.

"Where's Sportacus?" Pixel grunted as he tried to shove a plank of wood back onto the fence, but it was hopeless without the right tools.

"I don't know," Stephanie said as she brushed as much dirt off of Bessie's sheets as she could. "We sent the letter but he didn't come down!"

"Maybe he's already here?" Stingy proposed but didn't sound too hopeful as he looked around. "There's certainly enough trouble going on, his crystal must have warned him by now!"

"Guys," Ziggy squeaked, pointing after Robbie, "look!" Following the small boy's finger the rest of the kids saw where Robbie was heading next. Abandoning the lost cause that was Ms Busybody's yard they stumbled over fence boards and wrinkled sheets and raced to catch up.

"You made me eat SPORTSCANDY," Robbie snarled as he burst into the community garden. Snatching up a spading fork Robbie stabbed and slashed at one garden bed after the other. He pulverized the tomatoes into paste, shredded the cabbage beyond recognition, and destroyed the summer squash until there was nothing left but compost.

"My garden!" Stingy yelped.

"Oh no, all the sportscandy!" Ziggy wailed.

Robbie completed his tour of the garden by knocking over the wheelbarrow and sending the mountain of dirt it held into an avalanche. He tromped through the mess on his way out, tracking dirt with every stomp.

Ziggy rushed over to his garden plot and sifted his hands through the torn up vegetables. Nothing had been spared. Even the lollipops he'd been trying to grow there were shattered from the spading fork's assault.

"How could he?" Ziggy whimpered. "All of our vegetables, ruined!"

Each garden bed was worse than the last, but there was no time for the kids to tend to them now. Not with Robbie still cutting a harsh course through LazyTown. He hadn't gone far this time. It was only a short distance to his next destination, and the kids could see him from where they were.

"You made me PLAY!" Robbie roared as he bounded onto the sports field.

"Oh, great!" Trixie gave up on the destroyed garden plots and barreled after him.

"Sportacus, where are you?" Ziggy whined while Stephanie pulled him away from the ruins of the garden to join the others.

Robbie still had the spading fork clenched in one fist. With his free hand he snatched up the soccer ball resting by the goal. The kids stumbled to a halt on the sidelines as Robbie stared daggers between them and the ball. He swung the fork up high and brought it down in a vicious arc. The sharp gardening tool punctured the ball as easily as though it was a balloon.

"Not my ball!" Trixie shrieked, but she was drowned out by the explosion of escaping air.

The man chucked the flattened piece of polyester towards Trixie as she ran over. While Trixie caught the ruined ball with a stunned look on her face Robbie made quick work of the other pieces of equipment lying around, jamming the fork into basketballs and volleyballs and ripping the goalie net asunder. Nobody dared to get near him until he ran out of things to tear apart. Only then did he pitch the gardening tool into the trash and storm off of the field.

He stopped one more time, fuming in front of the tree house.

"I had to live in a _TREE!_ " Robbie shouted loud enough to be heard from the top of the canopy down to the tips of the roots. The kids arrived in time to see him grab hold of the ladder. After so many weeks of eating vegetables and exercising with endless games and chores Robbie had strength enough to wrench the unwieldy instrument away from the trunk and hurl it down. The ladder hit the ground with a bang, bouncing once before resting in pieces from the impact.

"My ladder!" Stingy's voice cracked.

"Was it really yours, Stingy?" Trixie snapped.

"It might have been," Stingy sniffed. "Or my father's."

"Why are you doing this, Robbie?" Stephanie demanded. "We're supposed to be friends!"

Robbie didn't respond at first, his whole body rising and falling as he panted and growled. He'd run and shouted and broken many things in such a short time, and now that there was nothing left he took the moment to catch his breath. He turned sharply round to face the kids. They took a collective step back at his frightful visage, eyes blazing in his darkened face.

"Friends," Robbie spat, "with friends like you, who needs friends? _You_ ," he jabbed his finger at them all as his voice rose higher like crashing thunder, "are _not_ my friends! You're nothing but a pack of connivers. You knew I lost my memory, and what did you nasty little brats decide to do? You took _advantage_ of me. You LAUGHED at me!"

"That's not true," Stephanie said, "we were only trying to help-"

"Do NOT lie to me again," Robbie snapped. "I don't want your help. I don't _need_ your help." He threw his arms wide open, offering the whole of LazyTown for consideration. "You tried to play a trick on me, to use me, and this is what you get. Now you can all just help _yourselves._ "

Robbie stared hard at the children, daring them to argue with him, but they didn't. They couldn't say anything more to him, and they didn't follow him anymore when he stalked away.

The kids stood under the tree house with the broken ladder scattered at their feet, their sports field in tatters, the garden uprooted. They looked to each other, the same shocked expressions mirrored on every face. Nobody said a word for a long moment, not until Ziggy asked the question they were all thinking.

"What happened to Sportacus?"

* * *

Sportacus was in the same spot where Robbie had left him when he returned to his lair. The man's breathing came slow and light, barely moving his chest where the crystal shone red. His eyes were closed and flickered beneath the lids, stirring as though in a nightmare. Sweat peppered his forehead and his skin looked clammy and cold. He was so still, so quiet.

A sprinkling of water in his face got the elf's mustache to twitch as it crept between his dry lips and his chest swelled with a slight intake of breath. Another sprinkling and he shifted his head away in response. Robbie gripped Sportacus under the chin and turned his head back so that he could jam the carrot into his mouth and make him chew it.

The red glare in the crystal dimmed and faded away, replaced with a soft white glow. Sportacus' eyes fluttered open. He sat up with difficulty but under his own power. The hero looked groggily down at the carrot tucked in his hand, then up at Robbie. The villain had already left him again, moving across the chamber towards the control center.

"Robbie," Sportacus tried to say, but Robbie interrupted him without turning back around, saying only two words:

"Get out."


	16. Chapter 16

It had been a few days since the party went off. The kids didn't have any time to play, although they were almost constantly outside. There was a lot of work to be done around town to repair the damage that Robbie had left them.

They patched sports equipment and tied nets back together on the sports field. They toiled endlessly in the community garden and replanted their sportscandy. The kids did what they could to make it up to Bessie for her soiled laundry and torn up yard, and they served as extra yard hands to Milford, whose whole hands were bandaged by the end of it from trying to nail the fence back together.

Sportacus was there too, helping everyone as much as he could. He swept up debris and hefted heavy bags of seeds for the garden and handled the wheelbarrow as they carried out damaged junk and in fresh replacement parts. He did his best to do good, when all the while he'd been too late to stop something bad.

The kids had been excitable that first evening when Sportacus finally arrived on the scene. They clamored over each other so many questions and grievances to their hero, asking where he'd been, how Robbie had somehow gotten back his memory and had made a mess of the town, and how could this have happened? What were they to do? Sportacus couldn't give an answer to anything. He couldn't explain what had happened, to them or himself.

In time the questions stopped on their own. Answers wouldn't fix the town. They weren't happy about all of the manual labor they were stuck doing but none of the kids went so far as to speak against the town's resident villain either. As the days went on they barely said a word about Robbie at all, not to blame him or demand his involvement in the cleanup, not to criticize his rage or begrudge him his spiteful response. In spite of it all, there was no anger to be found in any of them.

No one saw Robbie the rest of that week. But Robbie saw all of them, and Sportacus knew it. For every day that passed Sportacus caught glimpses of something out of the corner of his eye, something darting in and out of sight just on his periphery, always watching them. It was the bug-eyed crown of a rusty old periscope.

* * *

The billboard on the edge of town didn't look inviting when Sportacus approached it. Someone had nailed two boards across the center of it in a big X as though to deter anyone from investigating the vinyl obstruction. Sportacus walked around to the back and climbed the metal steps directly to reach the miniature silo hidden in the shadow of the sign.

Sportacus paced around the silo one time, eyeing it up and down. He flexed his hands into and out of fists and shook out his wrists. He raised a hand to pull the lid open but stopped just shy of taking hold and dropped his arm. The elf rolled his shoulders and blew some air out through his lips for one last rallying effort. He knocked on the metal rim.

"Hello?" Sportacus called over the reverberation of his knocking. He stopped and let the echo fade. There was no movement, no answer. He tried to knock again a bit harder. "Robbie, are you in there?"

Sportacus tried knocking on different parts of the disguised entrance, rapping on the top of the hatch or down around the curvature of the silo. Just when he was about ready to give up on his house call something finally happened.

"Would you knock it off with that insufferable banging?" Robbie barked from behind him. Sportacus spun around… but the purple suited man wasn't there. He stared at the empty space for a moment before looking around until he figured it out. Jutting out from behind the billboard was the ever present periscope.

"Hello, Robbie," Sportacus said, giving as polite a greeting as one could give to an inanimate object. He stepped towards the spy device but stopped when it dipped away from him, almost vanishing behind the billboard. Once it saw that he had stilled it returned to its original position.

"What do you want?" the periscope asked in Robbie's sharp tones.

"Well, it's been a few days since… you know," Sportacus hemmed and hawed a little, "and no one's seen you around, and..."

"Ah, yes," Robbie said. "Everyone's too busy to come calling now that their horrible game is over. I see how it is. I bet those wicked little nitwits have been having a great time with their new game fixing the town, too. Don't bother inviting me to play again. I'm fine right where I am, without any of you."

"It's not like that," Sportacus tried to correct him. "I wanted to see if everything's okay."

"What do _you_ think, Sporta-twit?" Robbie snapped at him. Sportacus winced a little and forced himself to nod, accepting the barb.

"Can I come down, please, so we can really talk?" Sportacus asked. The periscope tilted to one side as though in consideration.

"You don't really want to do that, do you?" Robbie's voice came back at him in a mocking lilt. "Don't you remember what happened last time?"

"Then will you at least come up here?"

"I don't think so. It's harder going up than coming down. Sounds like a waste of my time. So now that you've seen me, you can go."

Sportacus opened his mouth to argue but stopped. He sighed.

"I'm sorry, Robbie," Sportacus said. "For everything. The kids wanted to help you and I thought it would make you happier." He stared into the periscope as though he could stare straight down the device into Robbie's eyes. "I was wrong. They weren't trying to trick you, they were just… being kids. But I'm supposed to be a hero. I should have put a stop to it from the beginning, before you got hurt." The unblinking gaze of the periscope lens stared him down and he glanced away. "If you can find it in you to forgive the kids, I understand if you don't want to see me again, but—"

"Forgive?" Robbie repeated back, throwing open the lid of the silo and popping out up to his shoulders. Sportacus jumped on the spot at the skinny man's sudden appearance. "You think I'll ever forgive those cretins, those _kids?_ I already gave them what they deserved, and it's not forgiveness."

"But if the kids wanted to apologize—"

"Do you see them here?" Robbie talked over Sportacus, gesturing around them. "It's so idiotically _noble_ of you to think an apology could do anything to take back what happened." He narrowed his eyes. "You should count yourself lucky I didn't do to you what I did to them, and shot your airship out of the sky when I had the chance. For once the kids have got the right idea, and you should follow their lead and just leave me alone."

"So that's it?" Sportacus asked. "We're just supposed to forget it ever happened?" Robbie rolled his eyes and bared his teeth in a sneer.

"I _wish_ I could forget all of this," Robbie said. "I could try to make the Memory Sucker 3000 again..." He shrugged. "But you never really forget anything, not even if you want to."

"Is that what happened to you?" Sportacus asked. "But why did you do it in the first place?"

"It wasn't meant for me," Robbie growled, "it was supposed to be for you! _You_ were the one who was supposed to lose his memory, so you wouldn't be able to save anyone again. I could have made you believe you were anything, my best friend, the ice cream man, a world champion knitter! And it would have worked if that stupid piece of junk hadn't malfunctioned!"

Sportacus didn't interrupt the man's rant, merely raising his eyebrows at the disclosure. Once Robbie was done he aimed a challenging glare at the hero, all cards on the table.

"That's… great," Sportacus said, the corners of his mouth betraying him as they curled up. Robbie squinted at him.

"What's so great about that?" Robbie demanded. "I wanted to trick you!"

"You would have made me believe that you're my best friend?" Sportacus repeated back to Robbie. "Is that true? But why? I thought you didn't want to be my friend."

Robbie froze in place as the question caught up with his claims. His face darkened like a bruised tomato. "Of course I didn't!" he sputtered. "I just would have needed you to think that we were, so that you would trust me and do whatever I said. That was the plan, anyway."

"I see," Sportacus said with a nod, his grin relaxing. "That was a good plan… There's just one thing I don't understand, still."

"What is it now, Sporta-dunce?" Robbie asked, trying to get some frost back in his words while his face cooled down. Sportacus looked carefully at him.

"Why did you help me?" Sportacus asked.

Robbie stared at him as the color rushed back into his face darker than before. He looked away and heaved a grumbling sigh and drummed his fingers along the rim of the silo.

"Would you have preferred I left you how you were?" Robbie asked.

"Of course not," Sportacus said. "But it doesn't make any sense. I'm as much at fault as any of the kids are, maybe even more. Do you feel like I got what I deserved?"

Robbie tilted his head and looked sidelong at Sportacus, not able to look at him directly again just yet. "Do you think you were as bad as those brats?" he asked.

Sportacus furrowed his brow, not speaking.

"When my memory was gone," Robbie said, "those kids pretended to be my friends, and they were terrible. I hated them," he declared. "And now that my memory came back, I still hate them just as much. Now, you pretended to be my friend, too." Sportacus opened his mouth to interject but Robbie met his gaze and it was enough to keep him silent. "You're right that you aren't innocent in all of this. But I didn't hate you like them. You were… not a bad friend. Then when my memory came back, I..." Robbie frowned. "I remember how much I hated you, but..."

He gripped the rim of the silo hard enough to make his knuckles whiten. The words wouldn't come anymore. In the immediate silence the look between them said enough.

"You know, Robbie," Sportacus gently spoke up, "even though you have your memory back, I can still be your friend, don't you think?"

Something twitched across Robbie's face, his eyes softening for a fraction of a second before it passed. He broke eye contact with a shake of his head and muttered out a rueful chuckle.

"You think it's that easy," Robbie said, "just because you come here one time and try to say you're sorry. Well, I'm sorry, but the answer is 'No.'"

"Then I'll come back tomorrow," Sportacus said. "And I'll keep trying then, and the day after that, and the next day."

Robbie's nose twitched while his mouth seemed to squirm between a grin and a frown. "If you're not careful," he said, "I will invite you down again."

"I'd like that," Sportacus said. He smiled. "I am really glad you got your memory back, Robbie." Robbie snorted.

"Me too. Now I remember what I _really_ like to do best."

"What's that?" Sportacus asked. Robbie smirked and lowered himself back into the silo.

"See you around, Sporta-buddy," the villain drawled. He pulled the lid shut over his head and disappeared down the chute.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. There is much that is left unsaid, but I hope you feel as happy as I do to see the end.
> 
> Please stick around for an epilogue of sorts, just a small "for your consideration" that did not really fit in the narration.


	17. Consider This

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not exactly an epilogue, more of a look back from the perspective of LazyTown's slightly above average hero during a certain moment.

Sportacus struggled to remain conscious. His lips felt tacky and numb from the candy apple he had eaten. Sugar churned through his body like molten lead, robbing him of his strength, sapping him of his energy. He was too weak to move, too weak to call for help. So there he lay, motionless, on the cold concrete floor of Robbie Rotten's lair.

The only thing he could do was think. He thought about his predicament, incapacitated and trapped in a place where no one would know to look for him. He thought about the kids and their surprise party, wondering what kind of surprise would be in store for them. And he thought about Robbie.

He remembered that fateful day when Robbie first lost his memory. The kids were so excited to convince Robbie that he was nice, to encourage him to be good. And Robbie had been so anxious and relieved, so ready to accept that he and Sportacus were best friends. Sportacus had really believed then that maybe this was a good idea, that they were going to help Robbie to be more active, healthy, and happy.

Almost right away there was trouble. Even with his memories gone somehow Robbie still found ways to be Robbie Rotten. Every time he pinched a candy or tried to nap, or he said something sarcastic or played a little prank, he was met with lectures and scolding and shouting. Everyone was constantly worried that Robbie would remember, and they did everything they could to make sure he didn't.

But eating candy and cake, taking naps, putting on a disguise— not even finding his lair had been enough to bring back Robbie's memories. All they did was make the poor man more confused as he tried to navigate his new life. So long as Robbie behaved the right way and ate his vegetables, played with the kids, and helped out with chores around town, everyone was happy.

Everyone except Robbie.

It wasn't really a surprise to Sportacus that Robbie would want his memories back. But would it really be helping Robbie if he were to remember? Before he'd lost his memory, had Robbie seemed all that happy then either? He was always so grumpy before, always yelling at the kids to stop playing, always trying to sabotage their games and take away their sports equipment. Frankly Robbie had been a bit of a bully, a curmudgeon, a plainly unhappy person.

No, that wasn't true. He used to laughed more. When unleashing his schemes, springing his traps, and cavorting about in his disguises, Robbie was almost always smiling and laughing even if it wasn't for the best reasons. Robbie had moved plenty before too, whenever he was sneaking around. He'd sung and danced with everyone as long as he was doing it as part of one of his tricks, would play games with the kids all the time as part of one ploy or another.

Really, in some ways Robbie wasn't so different then from how they had tried to make him be now… The only thing that Sportacus had ever really wished would change about the other man was that actively-hating-him part that he'd never been able to break through before, as much as he tried to win Robbie over. Sportacus had liked Robbie just fine the way he was, all things considered.

Except now Robbie really was unhappy. And Sportacus couldn't pretend anymore that this had been a good idea. He had failed to help Robbie when the man needed his help most, choosing instead to try to help himself. There was nothing heroic about that.

As long and hard as he thought about it Sportacus hadn't been able to figure out how to make it right, how he could really help. Not until he'd been surprised by Robbie's letter asking him to come down. Of course Sportacus accepted the invitation. He would do anything for his best friend. Even if that meant entering the villain's lair and falling for an obvious trap.

Because honestly, when Robbie Rotten of all people offers you an apple of all things, it's not that surprising what should happen. After all of the things that Robbie went through for Sportacus, it was the least that Sportacus could do for him.

That's what friends are for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for staying to the end. See you around.


End file.
